


Haunting in the Citadel

by The_PrincessCat, Xhidaka



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: F/M, Fix It, Haunting, ITS A GHOST, M/M, Multi, Other, Shenanigans, Whump, everything will be better in the end
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:06:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 28,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23329711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_PrincessCat/pseuds/The_PrincessCat, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xhidaka/pseuds/Xhidaka
Summary: It has been a few months since Noctis made the ultimate sacrifice. Eos is getting used to seeing the sun once more and as the Chocobros start to deal with their OT4 turned suddenly OT3, they are not sure where to step next when it comes to rebuilding or each other. While Noctis was the glue that held them all together before, without him, it could be going downhill. And why does that DAMNED picture keep showing up on the dais?
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia, Gladiolus Amicitia/Prompto Argentum, Gladiolus Amicitia/Prompto Argentum/Ignis Scientia, Gladiolus Amicitia/Prompto Argentum/Lunafreya Nox Fleuret/Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia, Gladiolus Amicitia/Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret/Noctis Lucis Caelum, Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia, Prompto Argentum/Ignis Scientia, Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Comments: 30
Kudos: 146





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> After a car ride conversation about the end of the game, we realized that the the afterlife wedding between Noctis and Luna in the throne room would have happened after the ring was destroyed and all the spirits trapped inside turned to ether. This means that Noctis and Luna both still have a spirit in some facet. We're running with this idea here. We are running 'true' ending as well. Do enjoy.

"Sirs. Another picture appeared this morning." An older man with short gray hair, dressed in Kingsglaive Fatigues handed the photo to Gladio who took the picture, shaking his head. 

"Thanks, Marvin." Gladio turned to address the smallest of the trio. "Prompto. It's getting old. We all miss Noctis but continuing to put pictures- this picture, it's becoming a sick joke."

"Dudes. You gotta believe me. It wasn't me. I never kept a copy of the photo Noctis took with him. I mean, I wished I had but I didn't. You believe me, right Iggy?" Prompto looked from the photo to the blind advisor, gently resting his hands on his shoulder so he'd know where the sharpshooter was.

"The most logical cause _is_ a prank. But it's not necessarily Prompto." 

The first dawn had been difficult. But even Ignis recalled the first time the photo had been found on the throne. He himself had never seen the photograph. His eyes had been long lost by the time Noctis had left them to face Ardyn, but he doubted Prompto and Gladio would have lied to him about the photograph’s contents. 

"Remember when you found the photo that first morning, Gladio? When no one else had really stepped foot in the Citadel but us and the Marshal?”

"I'd like to forget that image, Ignis." Gladio turned, remembering how he had to pull the sword from Noctis's chest. How the picture of everyone at Cape Caem sat underneath Noctis’s hand. How that same photo was now grasped in his hand. How this photo continued to show up every couple of nights in the exact same spot the original had been found. 

"I don't understand," Gladio huffed, passing the picture to Prompto. Prompto took the picture, frowning at it for a moment before hiding it in an inner pocket of his Kingsglaive jacket.

"I miss Noctis as much as- but who'd do this? I want cameras set up." Gladio had taken a few steps towards the throne, the same throne that had remained empty since the last King sat upon it.

"If you can find some, be my guest." Ignis was the first of the three to turn away. He never felt comfortable in the throne room since the King's passing. "If it will help you sleep at night. You certainly toss enough, but I'll be the first to remind you that such things are not yet in production again. The same goes for photographs." 

"Unless you count the Citadel's black room. I got that reasonably working but my Lokton doesn't have negatives to process." Prompto followed Ignis, leaving Gladio as the last to exit the room. 

At least they'd finally patched the hole in the ceiling.

At the last moment Gladio paused, a cold breeze passing his person, just strong enough to stand up the hair on his neck and arms. It was strange, but it was unmistakable. Since they had fixed the wall and the ceiling there shouldn’t have been enough airflow to cause a breeze. None of the flags or banners shifted. No sound echoed through the high stone chamber. Not even the candles wavered. 

“What the Fuck?” Gladio moved in a circle, eyes scanning the whole room. While it had been cleaned up, the only people who really spent any time in this particular room any more were the janitorial staff. Not a soul was in sight. 

Shaking his head, Gladio moved off towards the others, letting the experience fall by the wayside, for now. 

“Okay, so like, who in Eos has the ability to mass produce a picture that no one has the original of except me? I mean, it's on the Lokton, but again, no way to print it.” Prompto moved his hand to the camera that was almost always on his person. 

“Are you sure it’s being reproduced?” Ignis had waited for Prompto to catch up to him, though the thought had only just occurred to him. “Is it possibly the same photograph? I wouldn’t be the one to look for such a thing, but Prompto, isn’t it true that you’ve kept the pictures when they’re found?”  
  


“I put it back into the same drawer in the bedroom. I guess I haven’t checked to see if it's the same picture or not.” Prompto’s hand moved to the picture which now sat over his heart. Feeling the photograph in its place, his slightly accelerated heartbeat slowed. “But if it is the same picture, that also means someone is getting into our room, and I am soooooo not okay with that.”

“Me either. Hey, how does air circulate through the citadel. Central cooling?” It didn’t take much for the tallest of the trio to catch up to the others, Gladio crossing his arms over his chest as they moved to the elevators. “There’s an odd breeze in _that_ room.”

Ignis shook his head, listening to the metallic ‘ding’ of the elevator’s call button. “I’m not entirely sure. Maybe they missed something when they did the repairs. I do remember high alcove style windows near the ceiling before. It was what caused that brilliant cascade of light, falling in contrasting bars over the garnet red carpets that led to the throne... “ the hint of nostalgia was, of course, tainted bittersweet. Ignis had no idea what color the carpets were, anymore, or what the alterations to the throne room had aesthetically entailed. “The glass must have not yet been replaced.” 

“I checked all the repairs myself, and everything was almost exactly a replica as it was before, ya know-” Gladio sighed. “I’ll have a maintenance guy in there to check it out. It's like the place is haunted.” 

“Dude, I think you’re crazy. I didn’t feel a breeze. Did you, Iggy?”

“Nothing. I don’t like the feeling in that room, but it hardly entails haunting.” Ignis recounted the ghostlike daemons of hunts in the past. They had looked and acted as ghosts, but were not exactly fitting in the traditional definitions of such. “Besides, there isn’t such a thing as ghosts. Now that the daemons are gone nothing of that sort should exist, anymore.” 

"So, you're telling me that you don't believe in ghosts after everything we've been through?" Prompto smirked as they stepped into the elevator. "I think that'd explain everything."

"Prompto, you're still naive, even after fifteen years." Gladio chuckled, placing a hand on the small blond's head and mussed his hair. Which he received a complaint about.

As the elevator hit their floor the three men filed out, greeted by quiet hallways rather than darkened ruins. Ignis lifted a hand, an idea having formed on their short elevator ride. "How about we figure out if it's the same photograph or a copy, and if it's the original you let me hide it."

"Deal. But if it's a ghost. You're dealing with it." Prompto smirked, leading the way to their bedroom.

"Oh really?" Ignis shook his head, removing his visor before they even reached the door. "And how do you propose I deal with a made up entity?"

"I dunno. You're the smart one. I'm just good with guns." Prompto joked, moving over to the dresser where all his pictures were "and photos."

Sitting cross legged, he began sorting through the mess that was his pictures. "This might take a minute."

Nowadays minutes were actually something they could spare, though Ignis used his to put away his visor and remove his boots and coat. Ignis turned his head towards Prompto and the silence. "Did we lose someone?"

_"I'm right here."_

"I'm right here." Gladio called, emerging from the bathroom where he had stripped down into his pajama pants.

"Dude. That's a wicked echo. How'd you do that?" Prompto looked up from the mess, searching and searching for the picture that was also in his jacket. 

"The two of you have obviously had a long day." Ignis finished his own routine of undressing, which was to take it all off, then put it away before heading to bed as he was. His modesty had disappeared shortly after his eyesight, and neither had bothered to return. When he stood his clothes were neatly folded over one arm and his boots in the other as he headed towards the closet at the far end of the room. "Talking about strange echoes and cold spots. Maybe you should both take a shower and relax your nerves."

"How about it Gladdy?" Prompto glanced over his shoulder with a toothy grin. 

"Don't call me that." But his response was playful.

"Just let me finish this- Ah!" Prompto was suddenly swept up by Gladio and the larger man was stripping him as they walked.

"Nope. Now or never." Prompto's jacket and pants hit the floor. 

"The picture!"

Ignis was quick to scoop up the discarded clothing on his way. "I have it. Don't worry. Try to relax or you might hurt yourself."

"You coming Iggs?" Gladio called over his shoulder, lingering only momentarily on the doorway. 

"I have a photograph to hide." Ignis commented before disappearing from view. 

….

"Anyone notice that there are cats, like, everywhere in here?" They were sitting in one of the refurbished meeting rooms as Prompto stared at a black cat sleeping in front of him.

All eyes shifted to Prompto, though most shifted away only moments later, finding his comments unimportant to the matters at hand. 

"Stray animals do this sort of thing during and after catastrophes." Ignis whispered, continuing to be the voice of reason. "The only reason there are still cats at all is probably because they took refuge here during the Long Night."

"Yeah." Prompto sat up straight and gently patted the cat on the head. "Reminds me of Noct."

But didn't everything in the Citadel? Every day, every step was a constant reminder. The little cat rubbed against Prompto's hand and purred. 

_"Why aren't you listening, then?"_

"Gladio," Prompto shifted, looking at the tall man in question. "You hear that?"

"What're you talking about?" 

The man sitting opposite to Gladio immediately shushed them, though at the same moment a cold chill ran down one, and only one, of Gladio's arms. It was like cold fingertips grazing his skin.

_"Pay attention to me."_

"I am!" Prompto turned around looking frantically for whomever was talking to him only to find Gladio was now standing looking panicked. 

"No one else felt that? You've gotta be kidding me." Gladio turned to look at Prompto. "Dude. Somethings wrong."

"We'll figure it out after the council session." Ignis turned to the other two men and put a finger to his lips. "Though for the record I'm starting to think you're both going insane." He grumbled under his breath.

Gladio sat back down, eyeing Prompto as they both stared off at The front of the room. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Gotta be ghosts!"

"SHH!"

....

After the meeting had concluded and the various council members had gone their separate ways, Ignis was on a mission to make a point. While he hadn't wanted to, the mission took him directly to the throne room for the second time in two days. He moved respectfully through the room as though it were a graveyard, making his way from the entry, up the steps and to the seat carved of stone and wood. Even without sight he knew where everything was. He could picture it vividly with his mind's eye… but it always came with something else. A darkness and a deep fear in his gut that told him to stay away.

Shaking the feeling away, he reached down and felt the armrest, only to find the same thick, glossy piece of paper that always sat upon that very spot. Defeated, he let out a sigh and turned to descend the steps once again. 

“I never did think that you would come here on your own.” Gladio stood in the center of the room, looking as the light danced from the windows all about the room, all spot lighting the chair that no man would ever sit on again. “Did you find what you were looking for?”

There was a slow to the blind man’s steps, the photograph in hand raised between his index and middle finger. “You’ll have to tell me. What is the subject of the photograph I hold before you? There’s a lot of things I can do, but deciphering flat surfaces is not one of them.”

Gladio moved to the other man, the few paces that remained. With slightly shaky hands, Gladio took the picture, eyeing the same image that had been vexing them for almost a month. “The one and only.” Gladio growled, replacing the picture in Ignis’s fingers. 

“Did we ever determine if there were additional copies of this photograph?” Ignis tucked the photo into his chest pocket to keep it safe. He had not yet checked back where he had hidden the image, but the ceiling air vent in the closet was not exactly the sort of place just anyone would stick their arms. 

“Prompto says he can’t find any other copies. He actually went back up to that project. I kinda, you know, sidelined him last night.” Gladio let out a sharp laugh. “Come on. Let’s go check on the kid. He is hearing voices, ya know.” 

"We will get to the bottom of this, logically." Ignis followed Gladio for a moment before picking up the pace enough to walk at his side. "I don't think you're both going insane, not really. I just worry that… with…" a sigh and a pause, but Ignis forced himself to push forward. "With Noct's birthday only a few weeks away, it's less disturbing for the both of you to be feeling out of sorts. We all cared about him very much. I don't want to be hard on either of you… the photograph quandary even has me a bit off kilter. " 

"Maybe you're right." Gladio conceded. The past ten birthdays had been hard, but knowing now that Noctis really was gone for good? It made it harder. 

"But it doesn't explain everything." Ignis reminded, compassion still evident by the softening of his tone. 

They took the same route back to the room as the night before, and when they entered the room Prompto was already there, sitting on the edge of the bed with the pictures, which he had since organized into an old wooden box with bronze hinges, about the size and capacity of a shoebox. As Ignis approached the bed he pulled the photograph out of his breast pocket and dropped it into the smaller blond’s lap. 

“And alright, I’ll admit it.” Ignis kept his voice low in volume and tenor. “Think what you will of the cold spots and auditory hallucinations, but the photograph situation is worrisome.” 

"Hmm," Prompto sighed, looking at the picture. The edges were beginning to look worn with the repeated handling. "So, what's our next move?" 

With the photograph secure in the box, in chronological order of when it would have been taken, Prompto clicked the box closed and put it back into the same drawer. 

That’s where Ignis was stumped. Gladio’s security camera idea would have been good, but it was difficult to acquire tech at this point in rebuilding. His own idea of hiding the picture had failed, somehow. The only thing he could think of was to give the youngest of them a turn, though he knew very well what that entailed. “Well, we keep checking for the photo in the throne room, obviously, but there has to be another step we can take. Prompto, you seem to be dead convinced we’re being haunted. How does one find ghosts? And more, how does one eliminate them?”

"I'd say the Nox Fleuret family but-" Shaking his head, Prompto looked up at the other two. "I'm not sure if there's another family of oracles or something. And then finding them after all this time and hoping they survived the long night? It's a long shot and probably won't work. I can look in the library?" Which had remained relatively untouched during the last ten years.

_“Hey, what’re you doing? You know I can’t get it if it’s in there, Prompto.”_

“Tomorrow we’re scheduled to help with the rebuilding of the west wing. It’s only us and probably four or five of Monica’s people so it will be up to us to determine where the cold breezes and echoes are coming from. Assuming the problem reoccurs in the west wing.” Ignis took a deep breath and headed to the closet, having to check one more thing before he conceded to the plans of the others. “Stay sharp.” 

_“Luna’s gonna be sad, man. Don’t do this to me. That one was her favorite.”_

"Which one was her favorite?" Prompto looked away from Ignis, trying to find the source of the voice. 

"What're you talking about?" Gladio was already shirtless and was moving over to Prompto.

"I'm not talking to you." Prompto held out his hand, putting his pointer finger to his lips with a 'shh'. "Someone's talking to me and I can't hear him if you're talking!"

The photo was, in fact, no longer stashed an arm’s length in the vent as Ignis had left it, and he returned with mild exasperation etched across his scarred brow. 

“Prompto, you’re probably hearing someone through the walls or vents.” Ignis had yet to even remove his jacket, a thin line of stress building atop his shoulders. He did not want to undress if he was going to have to go back out, specifically back to the throne room or the library. 

“I don’t think so. Like. It really does sound like they are standing,” Prompto elongated the last word as he stood and walked a few paces before him. “Right about here.” He gestured to the spot at the floor as if this realization was going to make the invisible man pop out of nowhere. 

Of course no such thing happened, though Ignis did twitch a bit and looked away… if one could call it looking. “Gladio, is that same spot cold, then? Or are these two phenomena unrelated?”.

Gladio sighed, moving over to the spot in question, replacing Prompto as he moved aside. And in fact, it was cold. “It is.” 

“So, _it is a ghost!”_ Prompto exclaimed, jumping and tossing his fist to the air. 

“Prompto. That’s not proof. All it means is the two of you are bouncing off of each other.” Ignis sighed, removing his visor and sitting down on the edge of the bed with a hand against his forehead. 

“Fine.” Prompto threw his jacket onto the ground, folding his arms over his chest. “You don’t have to believe me. I’m going to the library. You can- whatever!” Prompto threw his hands over his head as he trudged out of the room, slamming the door closed behind him. 

Ignis felt the door slam through his bones and once the tremor had subsided he sat down, letting his lips part, slightly. Had he really upset the man so much as to leave in such a manner. He stopped and recalled his words. “Aren’t you going to follow him?”

“No.” Gladio stated simply, slipping into a spot next to Ignis. “I think he needs a moment alone. Prove himself right or wrong. You’re right though. We are both stressed. You are too. Something is going on, I’m just not sure what. We’ll figure it out, and if we need to, we will both sort out our mental problems. Scouts honor.”

Ignis let out a sigh, unmoving other than the drop of his shoulders. "I told you I was overexaggerating. No one has mental problems."

"Well, let's let him sort that out. He'll be fine. Just give him time." Gladio promised, wrapping his arm around his lover. "He'll come back in a better mood."

"I hope you're right." Ignis leaned into the touch, both eyes pressed tightly closed. "If I'm being too cold or too rough, you will tell me honestly, won't you? I'm a terrible judge."

"I will always let you know." Gladio promised. 

....

The library was relatively unused and had taken a lot to get back into running order. Not for any destruction or misuse but simply from how thickly ten years of dust had covered every surface. Even now, as a single attendant sat at a table near the entrance, dust was still everywhere. 

The little old lady bowed her head as Prompto entered, not even a little sure where to start. What was he looking for exactly? He'd start with genealogy, see if that lead him anywhere. He quickly asked where the old family records were and was pointed to the back of the library.

The Lucian library was intimidating to say the least. Thousands upon thousands of books reaching several stories. It was a miracle that this place had not been destroyed. 

For Prompto, the four book shelves of records were a sea of despair. "This is gonna take _years!_ "

_"What good are books gonna do? You don't really want us to leave, do you?"_

The sudden sound made Prompto jump. "I don't know who you are. Iggy thinks you're a voice in my head." Prompto spun around, trying to find the source of the voice.

_"No. You were pointed the right way before! You're not crazy. You're right. And of all people I'd have thought you'd recognize me right away."_

"Noct?" The words came out choked and his voice wiggling as Prompto forced the tears away. "It can't be?" But everything else made so much more sense if it was true.

_"I've been trying to get to you for months. I'm so glad you can finally hear me."_ His voice was almost a whisper, an echo as though he was speaking through the vents. _"Luna's here, too. I'm so sorry, Prompto."_

“Luna?” Prompto looked around. “Why isn’t she talking? You’ve been here for months? Since-” Prompto cut off feeling a slight stab in his chest at the thought and the image that flashed through his mind. “What’s there to be sorry about, dude? I am so glad. I missed you! Wish I could hug you though. Dude. This is weird!”

_"She's trying. Can't quite do it, yet. She hasn’t even been able to leave the throne room. Guess it takes a while. Will you tell the other guys I miss them?"_

"I'll tell Gladio. But like Ignis doesn't believe you can be a ghost. Ya know. Skeptic. But I'll try. Think we gotta find a way to really convince him. You Think you can do something to convince him?"

_"I'm really limited to what I can do. I can write on foggy windows and move paper light objects. That's pretty much…"_ At that moment Noctis's voice started to fade out. The next few words were only broken syllables as though transmitted through a cellphone in a tunnel, before cutting out completely. 

“Noct.” Prompto frowned, looking over to where it sounded like the King was. “You’re breaking up. I guess you gotta work on your ghost muscles. You never were very good at working out though. I got an idea. Kay? Just follow along.” 

....

When Prompto returned to the bedroom, he found that Gladio and Ignis had already tucked in for the night. With a frown, he quickly undressed, and climbed into his side of the bed. He quickly snuggled into the back of Iggy’s neck, smelling the scent of the blond’s hair. “Sorry Iggy. I shouldn't have run off. I figured it out though.”

…

Morning came as usual, and since the sun had returned the ritual had become one of waking before dawn to watch the sun rise into the sky from the top of the Citadel. Even Ignis had continued with the habit, though he couldn't see the colors that flooded the sky, touching the city and surrounding lands. He claimed it was nice enough that he could sense the light at all. 

However, instead of the usual wake-up routine there was a message, painted in white across the bedroom mirror, the first thing Prompto and Gladio would see when they turned on the lamps. 

The message was simple 'good morning :)'.

“Morning!” Prompto exclaimed with a smile, sitting up, and looking at the other two. Of course, now that Noctis and Prompto were back in cahoots with each other, the antics could only get weirder. “So I told you it was a ghost right? Well ...”

“Dude. You could have done that while we were asleep.” Gladio huffed, grabbing his robe as he moved towards the door, like every morning. 

Of course Ignis had no idea what they were talking about.

“Dude!” Prompto whined, slipping his slippers on and groaning. “It didn’t work, Noct.” Prompto grumbled as he passed the mirror. 

"That's not funny, Prompto." Ignis was last to get out of bed, but the words that left the smaller man's mouth had stuck him. 

"Dude. Okay. You don't have to be so mean. You think I'd make this up? Come on. You both know me better than that!" Prompto threw his hands back up. "I thought it was a good idea. I'm surprised it worked but .. What would it take to convince you, Iggy?"

There was a pinch to Ignis's brow and a quiver to his lip, but as he marched toward the closet to gather his clothing he stopped. "I get it. It's been like this since Noctis passed. Like Fodina Caestino all over again. If I'm falling behind, you don't have to wait for me."

"Fine." Prompto felt tears pushing forward, but he met Ignis's 'gaze' head on. "You two enjoy your sunrise." 

Prompto stormed out of the room, disappearing before the other two could stop him.

Ignis wasn't going to be enjoying anything, not with the indication he'd gotten from Prompto's response. "Gladio… if you're still in the room, I apologize, but… you should know, too. That I understand how difficult it's been here with three of us since Noctis… left. Three is an unstable number. Someone is always going to be the odd man. If the two of you wanted to remove the spare wheel you could just tell me. You don't have to… go through all this…"

“Ignis.” Gladio was stern, moving to the other man’s side. “That isn’t what this is about. At all. You know that. We managed for ten years, we will continue managing. But did you actually stop and think that maybe, and call it crazy, Prompto actually believes this is true? Put your head aside. Prompto doesn’t want to hurt any of us. Just, humor the boy and we might be surprised. Ya know, like kids. I know I would love it if Noctis was still around.”

"And what about you? About your cold spots? If all this were true…" Ignis had resolved. He was not going to the Citadel roof today. It would be too much. "Let's say it's true. I can't help either of you. I can't hear anything. Can't feel anything. Certainly can't see anything. What good am I? Perhaps the two of you should figure it out on your own. That's the option that makes sense."

“I don’t know Iggy. All I know is that we still need to support each other. We still need each other. Ain’t gotta agree with him, but he’s trying to tell us something and we’re not listening. Just, try? If it’s him, and I am not sure it is, and we humor him, maybe he’ll stop. If he ain’t doing this stuff, then we’ll find that out too.” Gladio sighed, wanting to crawl back into bed now more than ever. 

Without saying anything more Ignis stepped the rest of the way to the closet and started to dress himself. 

….

_"You know you should watch the sunrise, right?"_ The crackled voice echoed quietly into Prompto's ear, easily keeping pace despite his quick and aggravated gait.

Prompto stopped, wiping his hand across the back of his hand. “What’s the point? I mean, you’re here right? You’ve been here the whole time. The sunrise was something we did to feel close to you. But now I’m fighting with Iggy, and Gladio doesn’t want to stand up to him. I mean, Ignis feels so isolated most of the time cause he can’t see. Why can’t you talk to Iggy?” Sniffling, Prompto started to move to the elevators, doing as he was told, even though he really didn’t feel like it. 

_"I can't go outside. I've tried. Maybe take a picture for me. You haven't been taking enough pictures."_ There was a pause, though it was brief. _"I can't figure out how to reach Iggy. I don't know why."_

"Oh, yeah. Um. I can do that. I wonder why you can't leave. Or why you can't reach Iggy. It would make this so much easier." Prompto stepped into the elevator, pressing the highest floor.

_"You guys will be okay. I can't be the reason you guys break up...that's...the opposite of what I want."_

Prompto was silent for a moment, leaning back against the wall as the elevator took them up. "Have you tried rolling in flour?"

_"No. Do you know where there's a bunch of flour? But Ignis still can't see me."_

The elevator dinged again, signifying they'd reached the top.

_"Find me something sticky to roll in when you get back. Though it's easier for me in the night or in the morning. I don't know why."_

"I'll think about it. Honey? Jelly? Why sticky?" Prompto asked, biting his lip. "I will figure something out. And I'll grab some sunrise photos for you and Luna."

_"I meant that will stick to-"_

The instant the elevator doors opened, Noct's voice stopped.

"Oh. I think I got you." Prompto said, turning around as the cool breeze from the early morning rushed around him. He pulled out his Lokton, and, as promised, took pictures of the sunrise. 

….

The sun rose into the sky, and by the time the colors had faded to a smooth shade of blue, something had changed within the Citadel. A murmur of voices hinted that there was a vandal in the building, though no one could fathom who it would be. The source of the uproar was in the throne room. Someone had written across the throne ‘Noctis Lucis Caelum was here’. And then, in even bigger letters across the carpet that spanned the entire distance from the dais to the door ‘Noctis Lucis Caelum is still here’. Along with the indiscernible imprint of a face.

Gladio burst into the throne room, face red at the news. “Who did this?” he was physically trembling as he moved past the words on the carpet, and glanced up at the throne, to see the white paint. “Call everyone in the citadel here now. Anyone employed or who lives here. This is over. I am done.” 

It took the better part of an hour to collect all of the employees and residents, as so many parts of the Citadel were under construction all at once. By the time everyone was gathered the throne room was full, much like it would have been during a Royal address. Ignis had come in with the construction workers from the wing, and as such was short his coat and almost blended in with the crowd. He was having difficulty concentrating, surrounded by so many voices at once. 

Once he’d pushed his way through he approached the dais, where Gladio and Cor were both standing, rage pouring off their respective persons. “What happened?”

“Someone graffitied the throne room. Wrote ‘Noctis was here’ across the throne and ‘Noctis is still here’ on the carpet.” Gladio let out an angry huff, eyes scanning the room before him. The only person who was missing was, “Have you seen Prompto since his blow up this morning?” 

“I’ve been working in the west wing all morning. I’ve barely had contact with anyone. And I certainly haven’t _seen_ him.” The blunder with the sight reference didn’t upset Ignis in the slightest. In a better mood Ignis would have been the first to make such a joke. His voice lowered, a breath pushing through his nose. “Look on the roof. He never misses a sunrise…” 

Gladio looked over to Cor. He released a breath, trying to force the tension out of his body. Hands unclenching, he finally spoke. “You can handle everyone else, or you want to wait and scold Prompto in person.”

“Gladio.” The Marshal warned, his brow creasing as he gave Gladio one of his more serious looks. “You let him defend himself, first. Innocent until he proves to us otherwise. As for everyone else.” He turned toward the crowd. “ We are going to have each of you come up individually, explain your whereabouts.”

Gladio left, leaving the other two to deal with questioning what was the majority of Insomnia while he went to fetch their missing friend. 

…

"The cats have gotten in the kitchen again." The janitor on duty sighed, heading in the same direction as Gladio. "There's flour everywhere!"

"What're you talking about?" Gladio quirked his brow as he waited for the elevator to show up.

"There's about twenty kilos of flour, all over the kitchen. Cat paws everywhere. You don't think whoever painted the throne room was responsible for that too, do you?" The man was saucer eyed, starting at Gladio with desperation that made him look ten years older than he was. 

"I'll look into it once we've got this mess taken care of. Promise." Everything was getting so strange and there didn't seem to be any way one person could be causing all the chaos. Gladio waved the man along, making a mental note to figure that one out. 

The janitor disappeared around the corner, just as the doors of the elevator opened. 

Standing in the corner of said elevator was a man. But not just a man. One covered from head to toe in flour, yet leaning with one leg crossed over the other as though he were putting on an air of importance. He raised a hand, and a brow, then mouthed something though no voice came out.

Blinking, Gladio stared at the figure, unsure what to make of what he was seeing. "I really am getting sick. I'll wait for the next elevator..." 

The figure waved obviously saying 'no' repeatedly until the doors closed. However, when the next elevator opened the floury man was still there.

"Okay. I've lost it. Totally and completely lost it. I'm seeing shit." Reluctantly, Gladio stepped into the elevator, turning his back on what he believed was a hallucination.

Grinning, the floury man reached out and started trying to get Gladio's attention by patting his shoulder repeatedly. He _knew_ that Gladio could feel him.

When the cold spot showed up on his shoulder, Gladio turned around. "What is going on?" The flour on the man's hand was gone, leaving nothing but air where a hand should be. 

The invisible hand lifted and the man pointed to it then himself. When it didn't seem to sink in he brushed some flour off of himself onto the floor and started to write. _N-o-c-t-i-_

The elevator dinged and opened. As it did the man was gone, leaving only the letters in flour on the floor. 

It was with mouth agape, that Prompto found Gladio staring at the ground. 

"You got flour on your back. Actually, you got flour everywhere, you helping in the kitc-" Lavender blues looked down and smirked. "You know I told him to wait for me. Did you see Noct? I only suggested flour like earlier, but I guess Noctis is determined."

"What are you talking about Prompto?" Gladio looked up, face as white as the flour all about the elevator. 

The prints lining Gladio's back were distinctly hands and much smaller than his own. Once the two men were inside as the doors closed the cold returned, though the man covered in flour was no longer there. 

_"Well this is annoying."_ Came Noct's voice in Prompto's ear. 

“Oh Hey Noct. Gladio being thick headed?” Prompto asked, receiving a concerned look from Gladio. 

“I think I need a nap. Or maybe I already am dreaming. I feel a little light headed.” 

_"Yeah. And when the doors opened all my flour fell on the floor."_ The elevator started its descent, and more letters started appearing in the white. _-s …. G-l-a-d-i-o I-'-m r-e-a-l._

Gladio’s knees wobbled, and he found himself collapsing onto one knee. He threw a hand to steady himself on the handrail while the other went to his head. “I don’t-”

Prompto rushed to Gladio’s side, placing a hand on the large man’s back. “You okay? You’re looking really pale.”  
  


“Nnnn-” 

_"Uh oh. I think he needs to lie down… take him to your room I'll go get Luna."_

And immediately the cold spot was gone. 

“Gladio?” Prompto frowned, pushing the button to the floor they lived on. “Were gonna go take you to lie down.”

But that was easier said than done. Gladio was heavy, and even with him bracing the wall, it was difficult to maneuver him around. After what felt like a lifetime, he was laying on the bed. 

“I think I’m gonna be sick.” 

_"Luna says he'll be fine. I just freaked him out and triggered a stress reaction… did anyone-gt-is…"_

And once again the voice was gone. 

“Okay. Gladio?” Prompto sat on the edge of the bed, feeling the bigger man’s face. “Luna says you’ll be okay and that you’re just stressed. I don’t know where they went. He keeps doing this where he talks to me and then like a bad radio he cuts out. You feeling better?”

“Uhnn.” Gladio let his eyes stare up at the ceiling, the color slowly returning to his face. “I think so. But you’re gonna have to run that by me again...”

Which he then did, twice. As far fetched as it all seemed there were definitely aspects that Gladio could no longer contest. The flour, the voices and cold spots… all Noctis. And the graffiti in the throne room was most definitely his doing as well. The problem, of course, was trying to convince everyone else. 

….

After a few hours, the Marshal had let everyone else return to work without answers and without word from Gladio or Prompto. 

By mid afternoon Ignis had finally decided to take a break. But after getting some water and something to eat he'd only been hearing the same thing over and over. Floury disasters, graffiti and overall irritation. Also the rumor that since the sunrise meeting no one had seen either Prompto or Gladio.

Part of him was worried if everything was alright, the other part feared the worst. Where was that little voice that told him things were going to be okay? Apparently on vacation. 

He returned to the shared room, one of the few places no one else would go, and let himself inside, hesitantly. He didn't hear anything. No talking or moaning, not even snoring.

“Okay, so do you think that would work?” Prompto looked up, seeing Ignis standing in the doorway. Gladio was still in bed, all the color finally returned to his face. “Oh, hey Ignis. Everything okay?”

There was a pause as the blind man processed the nonchalant tone. His own, in turn was low, the stress still evident in his expression even without view of his eyes under his visor. "Everyone thinks the two of you are missing. Apparently you are not."

“Gladio was, uh, feeling under the weather. He almost passed out in the elevator. I-uh- He came to find me on the roof, since I wasn’t sure what to do after the sun rose, and I-the way that we left off wasn’t great, and I was trying to,” Prompto let out a sigh, his words getting away from him. Ignis's face tipped downwards, a frown slowly forming at the edges.

“I am sorry Iggy. I shouldn’t have acted the way I did. I just don't wanna break up what we have. You guys mean a lot and if that means you don’t want me talking about the things that are going on, I won’t. I just-” There were tears in Prompto’s eyes again, and he looked down, away from Ignis’s gaze. Even if the blind man couldn’t see, it still felt like he was staring into his soul sometimes. 

Gladio shifted, placing a strong hand on the younger man’s shoulder. 

"I just don't want to hear the excuses." The gravel in Ignis's voice did not originate from anger, but somewhere deeper in his chest. "I care deeply about the two of you as well. If this is what you want, you can just be honest with me. It will not change our friendship. The excuses and the silence are… are much harder." 

Tears fell, as Prompto stood, squaring his shoulders to the older blond. “I don’t know what you’re talking about Iggy. I have been honest with you, and you’ve just gotten mad at me!”

“Iggy.” Gladio moved to the edge of the bed, moving to stand between the two of them. “Do you believe me, and take what I say as truth?” 

A hand moved to Ignis's brow as though something had dropped a load of bricks on his shoulders. "I'm not mad! I'm- if you want to dissolve this arrangement I will move out so that we _don't_ have to be frustrated with each other, anymore!"

“Dissolve?” Prompto crumbled to the ground as if he had been punched in the gut, the tears now flowing even more. “What on-Eos-would make-you-think that?” Prompto forced the words out between sobs as he shook his head. “

“Iggy? You know better than this.” Gladio reached a hand out to the blind man, shaking his head. “This isn’t what Noctis wanted. He wanted us to stay together after- And I have every intention of holding us together if it tears me apart in the process.”

"Why would it tear you apart? And why won't you answer for what you want rather than what someone wants who-who isn't here?" Gladio’s touch and the sound of Prompto's tears were almost enough to break Ignis's composure, which was rapidly cracking. "All the stories, excuses, absconding together all day without telling another soul? What am I supposed to think?"

“What are you talking about?” Gladio let out a sigh, looking down at Prompto and back up at Ignis. “I saw him, Iggy. He covered himself with flour to try and prove it to me. That is why there is flour everywhere. Prompto has time stamped photos of the sunrise, and he’s got an alibi for at least a good two maybe three hours this morning. He couldn't have done any of the vandalizing. Think Iggy, just forget what you _want_ to believe. If Noctis was alive or a ghost this is one hundred percent in his wheelhouse. Right? You’ve known Noctis longer than anyone. Longer than me. Would he do this?”

Of course he would, but it didn't make the pain go away. It had been a dull throbbing for years, a pain that was now being poked and stabbed at by the only people who'd ever made it go away. He wasn't surprised Gladio wouldn't answer his questions, anymore. He'd always been there for Noctis, alone. Same with Prompto. To Ignis, it all made sense. Noctis had been the glue, even when he'd been trapped in the crystal. What was there now but dead memories? A ‘ghost’ was not glue. It was a bandaid. 

"Let's say I believe you. What does that change?"

"It means everything is different. It means Noctis is trying to reach us. It means," Gladio choked on the words. "It means he didn't disappear. Don't you want that? Instead of the alternative..."

"If it's what both of you want then fine." Ignis shook his head and slowly sat at the edge of the bed. Logic wasn't winning anything. It didn't matter what he said or that he still didn’t believe in ghosts. "What do you want me to do?"

"Noctis wanted to try something. You still here, buddy?" Prompto had stopped crying and was now standing, rubbing his nose with the back of his hand. 

_“Yeah…”_ a hint of sorrow in the ethereal voice was followed by a long and uneventful silence. _“Ignis? Are you alive in there?”_

Nothing. 

“Prompto. What am I waiting for?” The defeated sigh fell from Ignis’s lips, his brow disappearing behind his tinted visor. 

“Hold on.” Prompto bit his lip, reaching up slowly and placing his hands on either side of Ignis’s visor. “You are always so ‘business’ like when you have this on. Maybe it’ll help?” Without waiting for a complaint, he removed the tinted glass from Ignis’s face. 

“Okay Noct. Try now?” Prompto was shaking slightly, hoping to all hope that this would work. 

Ignis immediately squinted, his entire face contorting in shock. “Would you turn off that flashlight first please?”  
  


“What Flashlight?” Gladio asked, a concerned expression as he shot a look at Prompto. 

“Iggy?” Prompto looked from Gladio to Ignis, to where he figured Noctis was. “Noct. Where are you?”

_“Same place as before. Right in front of you guys. He still isn’t reacting to me. Maybe it’s that stick that crawled up his butt.”_

Ignis closed his eyes and turned away, seeming to find some relief in the action. “If this is still part of your prank, so help me…”

“Look for a flashlight Iggy.” Gladio put a hand on the small of Ignis’s back. 

“Noctis says the light is coming from where he’s standing.” Prompto looked from Ignis to about where Noctis should be. 

When Ignis confronted the light head on there was nothing. A second swipe at the air and he felt nothing. Someone _had_ to be playing a prank. “What the hell sort of luminescence is so damned bright -ugh…” 

_“You think it’s me? Here, let me try something. I’m going to move over by Gladio’s dresser.”_

“Okay, you want me to tell him?” Prompto tilted his head.

_“No. Then he’ll think you’re lying. I’ll tell you. You tell Gladio. Then make him point me out.”_

“Prompto, are you talking to your ghost again? This isn’t a game. And it’s not going to convince me just because you decided to move the light around.” He signaled to the right. Ignis couldn’t do it. He couldn’t turn off the logical side of his brain. He was trying but the switch was buried. 

_“Actually he’s pointing right at me.”_

“Ignis?” Prompto reached his hand out and touched the blond. “I haven’t moved.”

“Neither have I, Specs.” Gladio’s hand had remained on the small of Ignis’s back the whole time. 

“Noctis says he is standing by Gladio’s dresser. So, you’re pointing at him...”

“So now Noctis is not only a ghost, but a flashlight?” Ignis was just trying to clarify what was going on. His finger moved again, towards the door.

_“Make him stop pointing at me! It’s rude!”_

Prompto chuckled, “Noct says pointing is rude, and I don’t see a light, do you Gladio?” 

“No light.” Gladio let out a sigh. “So, I’m gonna go out on a limb and say that Prompto can hear him, I can feel him and you can, uh, for lack of better words, see him?”

Ignis still wasn’t entirely convinced, but it was difficult to assess things when not all of his senses could be utilized evenly. “I suppose that’s it. Unfortunately it’s more of a ‘too much’ sort of ‘seeing’. No form, just bright, all consuming light.” He didn’t know that this was the appropriate end to all of his concerns, but it was likely the best option he had. At least until he and the other two figured things out. 

“Well, I mean. That kinda makes sense too. Didn’t Noctis’s death-” The words still stung even if he was in the room with them currently, “Bring back the light? So, you seeing him as light, might not be that far fetched?” Prompto was grasping at straws, but it seemed to make sense when he vocalized it.

At least Prompto seemed to be finding a foothold in the madness. It was better than tears and spiralling. Gladio was, as ever, an immovable rock. 

"So what you're meaning to say is…" Ignis averted his eyes from the light and sighed. "Between the three of us we can't even interact with him on the most basic levels?"

"Sounds like it." Gladio removed his hand from behind Ignis's back, crossing his arms. 

"So does that mean you believe me? Us?" Prompto perked up, his sunshine smile drawing across his lips for the first time in days.

”I…” But it was all still very far fetched, despite how adamantly Prompto seemed to believe it. Ignis’s throat felt infinitely dry as he dropped his head and parted his lips. “I’m trying. I’m going to try… that’s the best I can offer you.”

All the stress melted off Prompto instantly as he threw his arms around Ignis, giving him the biggest hug he could. "Thank you Iggy!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis is getting stronger, and what is that? He still has abilities he had when he was alive? With all the weird things happening all around the citadel, it is only a wonder that no one besides Prompto has figured out the truth. Ignis goes on a wild goose chase and Prompto and Gladio start trying to figure out ghost sex. What could go wrong?

**S** hortly after the fight subsided, Noctis once again disappeared. From Prompto’s count it had been longer than even the day before, though he seemed to have a lot of work to do on what Prompto called his ‘ghost muscles’. The ex-king had made mentions of Luna being in the Citadel as well, but none of the three had heard, felt or… ‘seen’ anything else. 

Much to the relief of the men and women on the cleaning crew there were also no more instances of vandalism.

When the sun started to fade from the sky and the denizens of the Citadel started to thin, Noctis reappeared. It was right after dinner as Prompto was heading down one of the many flights of stairs that a faint voice picked up from the white noise in the background.

_ “Prom? I have a favor to ask. Do you think you could get me a pen? A light one? I can’t find anything in the Citadel that’s light enough. Not out in the open, anyway.” _

"Yeah. Of course. I Think Iggy's got a stash of, like, a bunch from before." Prompto yawned, rubbing his belt. "What do you need it for?"

_ “I know I can talk to you, but it would be nice to leave Gladio notes, too. Ones that don’t freak out the whole Citadel and send people into panic. Besides, I don’t think he’s totally convinced. Neither is Ignis, but I think time is the best option with him. Not like I don’t have a load of that…” _

"We all have time. Probably too much. I'll see what I can find and we can try what works, cool?" Everything always led to an elevator as the two of them waited. 

_ “How did people get up and down the Citadel before the invention of the elevator, anyway?” _

"Lots and lots of stairs." Prompto chuckled, stepping inside as soon as the doors slid open. “You woulda died if you had to walk from the ground up to your room." Prompto paused for a second, feeling the elevator jolt up. "Can you like, fly? You know, through ceilings and stuff?"

There was a slight pause, but not long enough for Prompto to worry.  _ “It’s not really flying. More like… clipping in a video game. I can go through walls and floors and falling doesn’t hurt.. Anything I don’t concentrate to pick up or move sort of… goes through me.” _

"That's kinda cool. Ya know. I miss video games dude. All our old consoles are totally covered in dust. I'm gonna have to excavate them to be able to play them. Dude!" Prompto paused, a light bulb clicking on in his brain. "You think we can play video games again together? That'd be so cool!"

_ “Maybe when I can pick up a controller. I’m not that strong, yet.”  _ It may have seemed something trivial, but Prompto’s expression said that it meant the world to him.  _ “Why don’t you play with Gladio and Ignis?” _

"Ignis is blind and Gladio has been really busy. I dunno. They kinda just shrug it off, having been without for so long, ya know?" Prompto sighed. "It's cool, dude.” 

_ "They aren't boring all the time, are they?"  _ There was something more to the question, or at least it sounded like it. Maybe it was that bit of distortion that always followed Noct's voice, as though through a radio station, just barely off tune. 

“No, not really. I mean, after ten years of living in hell, it kinda is hard to go back to the way things used to be. But like, we got a lot of really important things to do. Ya know, like get society back into working order. You might not believe this, but we are starting to get our first harvest of vegetables again. Ten years without lettuce was brutal!” Prompto laughed, knowing his best friend had never been one for anything that was grown. 

_ “I remember the daemons. Did any of the animals come back after the dawn? So far all I’ve seen are the cats.” _

Fortunately, Prompto didn’t see another living soul on his way back to the room, lest he be called crazy again for the one millionth time in the past two days. 

“There was a crazy guy in the middle of Cleigne that hoarded like 200 garula with this really ingenious setting up using old car batteries and headlights. So, like, they’re out in the world again. I’ve seen pets, like dogs and cats. Fish were surprisingly not completely wiped out by the ten year night, but a lot of them are actually having issues with the sun again. But Sania is all over that conservation. She’s also been tracking some signs of movement and thinks she’s seen some Anak around. So, I guess the short of the story is yes, there’s animals, but I think they’re still like, in hiding.” It was a short walk from the elevator to their room, and unsurprisingly, Gladio and Ignis were already there. 

“Hey guys.” 

Ignis groaned and shifted, placing his visor back over his closed eyes. Judging by their varied states of dress, they hadn’t been back in the room long. Ignis had yet to remove his boots and Gladio was only shirtless. 

_ “Aw, he doesn’t look happy to see me.” _

"Yeah. You're too bright dude. Maybe, like, tone it down?" Prompto suggested moving through the room to the other two. Unlike Gladio or Ignis, Prompto frequently forgot to change out of his clothing and one of them ended up undressing him, first.

_ "I don't know how to turn it down."  _ The admission was simple.  _ "I'll stay off to the side or something."  _

"It's fine." Ignis moved away to put away his boots in the closet. "I'll just leave them on."

Prompto flopped onto the bed, letting a sigh slip from his lips. "I'm so full!"

When Ignis returned he was dressed down and let out a defeated sigh. “You shouldn’t eat so much.” He murmured at the risk of being regarded as a nag. A moment later he had plopped down on the floor to start untying the blond’s boots. 

"It was really good though!" Prompto whined, letting out a yawn

On the opposite side of the room Noctis had started prodding at Gladio, since he was the only one he could.  _ “Was the big guy always this quiet? Damn… either that or I missed a lot…” _

"Yeah. He's always been quiet." 

"Hey. Noct. Why are you so damned cold?" Gladio growled, standing in his pajamas as he moved back over to the others. 

_ “It’s not my fault! If it were up to me I’d be warm. And less bright… at least Prompto still likes me.”  _ There was a clicking sound and the cold moved away from Gladio. 

“Sometimes touch is the only thing that seems real.” Ignis’s voice remained low and a bit too quiet as he pulled off one of Prompto’s boots and then the other. He followed it by swiftly tugging off the sweaty socks. “So if he’s actually Noct as Prompto claims, and you can feel him, you’re blessed. Don’t complain and just put on a shirt.” 

_ “See, I’m not the only cold one.” _

"He's cold through clothing. You like my body though." Gladio laughed, biting at his lip. "Sorry. Wish you could feel him. I'd trade you if I could. Any of it."

“Don’t be ridiculous. You have what you’re given and should appreciate it. You have always been able to make the best of your feelings, your abilities, your physical body... If we spent all of our time wallowing in what could have been or what we don’t have… not all of us would be here, anymore.” Ignis started to stand from his place on the floor. It was still odd seeing him in his visor after hours, but he was making no move to displace it. “If anyone has any clothing they’d like me to take away, now is the time. I won’t be heading to the bin twice.”

Prompto bolted up, moving to stand as he shimmied out of his pants, and shrugging out of his jacket and shirt, leaving him in his boxers. “Done.” Prompto smiled, placing a hand on Ignis’s shoulder, who was still in front of him. “Thanks Iggy!”

“You’re right Iggy, as always.” Gladio lay on the bed, letting out a long sigh. “Hey, Noct, you can hug?” It was an odd thought, cuddling with a ghost that he couldn’t see, but hey. 

_ "Gladio, probably."  _ Noctis had taken up a place next to Prompto again, now right over his shoulder.  _ "I know Gladio wants to cuddle but could you leave out that pen we talked about before you go to sleep? I really want to see what I can do." _

Ignis returned with empty arms, wearing loose clothes, which was unusual for him, and a hand on his visor. He could feel the shift in atmosphere and was hesitant to speak. "What odd thing is happening now?"

"Oh, hey Iggy. You know that pen you got from Camilla like ages ago after the darkness started that you never used. Ya know, the really light one?" Prompto hopped off the edge of the bed and moved to the desk in the room. "You haven't seen it have you?"

"No, I haven't." Ignis kept his head toward the door, sitting on the edge of the bed as though he'd have to stand at any moment. "But it's in one of the drawers, gathering dust since no one has been writing letters."

"Cool." Prompto practically galloped over to said drawer and began rummaging. "Ah ha!" He pulled out a variety of pens as well as a feather? "What's the feather for Iggs?"

"What are you doing?" Gladio grumbled, already tucked under the sheets. 

"Noctis wants to try writing." Prompto said it like it was really that easy. "But he needs something he can lift!"

"Try the feather. That's Camilla's quill. There should be ink nearby if the well in there is dry." Though Ignis was still holding a shred of scepticism, he had finally convinced himself he would do more harm than good if he didn't go along. 

_ "Make sure the ink stays open…"  _ Noctis added, as though it weren't already obvious.

"That's an awesome idea." Prompto shuffled through the drawer, pulling out the ink pot with a huzzah. "You're a genius, Iggy." 

Leaving everything Noctis requested out, Prompto rushed the bed, arms wrapping around Ignis and planting a kiss on his cheek. The action confused Ignis a bit, seeing as they'd been fighting only hours before.

"Hey Noct." Gladio looked like he was almost asleep. "Can ya wait till we're asleep? Don't wanna see flying pens. Might wig me out too much even if I know it's you."

_ "Fine. But you better get used to it if I'm gonna keep hanging around."  _ A feeling of cold spread over Gladio's chest.

"He says you get this one but get used to it." Prompto continued to hang on Ignis's neck, pressing his face against his lovers. 

"Yeah, fine. I'll try. But it's gonna look weird to the neighbors." Gladio laughed, moving his hand over his chest, looking slightly defeated when it went through straight to his chest. 

"Speaking of which…" Ignis moved his hands to his visor and finally started to pull it from his face. "Prompto, if you want to stay where you are you'll have to take center. I won't be able to sleep if I'm being blinded…"

"I'm fine with middle! I love being the filling in the sandwich!" Prompto snickered, yawning big.

_ "And I'd love to watch you be the middle of the sandwich…" _

"Noctis!" Prompto turned a bright red, eyes shifting and hands dropping.

_ "What's there to be shy about? Wouldn't be the first time."  _

Ignoring Prompto's outburst, Ignis had set aside his visor and took the chance to lay down on his side and push under the covers. The gap between Ignis and Gladio was more than generous. 

_ "And honestly, if you guys are going to be boring and keep your clothes on, I have some things to do around the Citadel." _

"No more vandalism. But maybe tomorrow you can watch. I think Gladio's asleep already." Prompto crawled under the covers, Gladio snoring and yet pulling him into his bear hug. "Nighty Noct."

….

Morning came with a loud crash and a roar that shook the very foundation of the Citadel. It was brief, moments long like an earthquake. Every soul was immediately awake and moving. 

Gladio was up, instinct had him trying to pull his sword from the Armiger. "Shit." Gladio could undress faster than anyone, and the ten years off darkness also has him able to dress quickly as well. "What the Six was that?"

"That wasn't an earthquake...it felt like…" Ignis was hesitant to say what was on his mind, even as he and Prompto struggled to follow in Gladio's footsteps. "Like a daemon… but bigger."

"Daemons don't exist any more. They're all gone. Right?" Prompto hesitantly followed, hands on the gun that had been unused for months. 

That had been the idea as far as the others were concerned. Another set of rumbles shook the floors and walls, like thunderous footfalls. The trail led the three, as well as Cor's men and a variety of gawking onlookers, to the Citadel fountains, where one of the long, rounded stairwells seemed to explode and crumble without any exterior contact. 

There were shouts, some ducking and running for cover, others drawing blades or standing dumbfounded.

"What in the Six is going on? Where in the Six is it coming from?" Gladio barked, moving closer to the wreckage than anyone else had dared. 

"Noctis." Prompto spoke under his breath. 

Immediately Gladio was engulfed in cold, as though he'd stepped directly into an icy breeze. But it was more than that. It was almost… substantial. 

"Gladio!" Ignis had been too late to stop the man from running in without abandon, but he was fast enough to pull him back when the upper rail began to crumble above his head.

"This is not right." Gladio turned to look at Ignis. "You know how I can feel Noctis? Well, I just felt that times ten. Take off your visor!"

Ignis did not hesitate, though in doing so his head whipped to the side and his eyes squeezed shut. "I can't-" it was too much, way more than the day before. With his eyes averted he moved to replace his visor, then paused.

Was that another light, moving away from the scene? It was duller, further in the distance, and didn't completely force him to look away.

"You okay Iggy?" Gladio moved his hands to brace his companion, looking worriedly from Ignis to Prompto.

Prompto merely shook his head, holding his temple as if it were splitting at the seams. "I don't know what's going on!" Prompto spoke louder than necessary, trying to overpower a roar that only he could hear.

The ground shook one last time, this one longer, more drawn out… and then it stopped. Ignis fumbled with his visor, taking far longer than normal to adjust it to sit over his eyes. Only then could he start to right himself. The cold air all around remained but as it was everything went still. 

"Okay. Now what in Shiva’s tits was that?" Gladio grunted, looking around at the present company. 

"Gladio, Ignis. Out of the area!" Cor shouted, several armed men rushing in at his side. "You aren't equipped properly for the field! All civilians, inside, now! Until this situation is under control and investigated, anyone without a Glaive uniform is strictly prohibited."

The exits from the citadel were immediately blocked off, as were the street entrances. Guards were posted at the main entrance to assure no one that had been shooed returned. 

The other two moved over to where Prompto was, almost as if he'd been stunned in place. Tilting his head to the side, blinking at the wreckage, Prompto grabbed at Ignis and Gladio's jackets, pulling them in close. "Is it just me, or does this wreckage look semi-familiar? Don't call me crazy but," Prompto lowered his voice even further and leaned closer to the others. "Titan?"

"Considering the size and assumably the sounds…but how does it even make sense?" Ignis was feeling dizzy and a tad nauseous but he was good at playing as though nothing had happened. "The entire room was alight. But the Six… I never fully understood if they were truly living beings when Noctis called upon them before or whether he harnessed their spirits. But considering the fact they were said to be physical manifestations of Eos itself…" 

Ignis was at a loss. "I feel we need to do some research to better understand how such things are possible…" 

"Well. Noctis? I need to go find him." Prompto stood, looking between the other two. "I'm certain it was him."

There was no objection to Prompto's idea, of course. Ignis, despite the fact he hadn't vocalized it, was more concerned about the fact he'd seen yet another light in the courtyard. "You find Noctis. I need to head to the Citadel library and find some books regarding both ghosts and Astrals… of course I will bring them back to the chamber for dissection."

"I'll come with you Iggy. You would need an extra set of eyes." Gladio placed his hand on Ignis's back before adding, "I need to chat with Cor. I'll catch up."

That was how they split up, Prompto's only concern was finding Noctis. 

…

Finding an invisible person in the expanse that was the Citadel was ten thousand times worse than the proverbial search for a needle in a haystack. At least in that scenario if you didn't see the needle it would eventually stab you and...problem solved.

Prompto did find several notes, however, inside their room. Most were simple notes, but one in particular stood out. 

_ I was just trying to see what I could do. I don't know why he freaked out like that. _

"Noctis." Prompto sighed, reading the note over several times before he sat down defeated. "If you're around. Speak up."

The room was silent for a long time before Prompto heard a faint crackle, one that very slowly became audible. 

_ "It… take...s a lot… out of me…" _

Prompto frowned, staring off where the voice came from. "What does? Can you write it?"

From behind Prompto there was the sound of scratching, then a sheet of paper fell into his lap. 

_ I've tried to summon before. This time it worked. Sorry. _

"So it  _ was _ Titan?" Prompto sounded shocked, spinning towards the table. "Ha! Ignis didn't believe me. How'd you do it? He messed a bunch of stuff up! It was crazy. Were you out there? Ignis says he saw another light? Was it Luna?"

_ I don't know. Like I used to, I guess. Luna is stuck in the throne so I have no idea what Ignis saw.  _

The letter took longer to write than the first one, but the propped pen showed he still had some strength left.

"But it wasn't you? Hmm. Have you seen anyone else in the castle? Iggy's doing some research. How do you regenerate strength? Do you follow me around when you don't have strength?" Obviously Prompto was extremely interested in how Noctis ghost worked.

The answers came as a list.

_ No. _

_ No. _

_ It just comes back after a while. Sometimes being around generators help, too. People make my energy drain. _

_ Sometimes, if I can. If I do too much I sort of ‘wake up’ in the throne room again. Like a reset.  _

_ I like to follow you around because I can interact with you the most. The other two focus too much on whatever they’re doing.  _

_ I miss you guys. _

“I miss- We all miss you a bunch.” Prompto felt his eyes watering as his hands shook the paper. “We can be kinda like we were before, right? I mean, I already feel so much lighter having you around. It's been so hard without you.”

_ You don’t have to cry. I’m not going anywhere. I mean it. Really. I can’t go anywhere else.  _

_ But I want you guys to be happy. Even without me. I’ll be here but I want you guys to live your lives for yourselves now. That was always what I wanted for you. Ever since I knew what I had to do. _

“Noctis-” Prompto had always been an emotional mess, they all knew this. “But I have my best friend back. I think we kinda figured out this weird happiness, but I can’t talk to them about stuff, like I can with you, ya know?” 

Prompto sniffled, moving to stand and out of the room. “We will be fine, well, unless you summon Titan again and he destroys the whole Citadel. Ya know, then we will be homeless and that’s not cool.” It was a joke, but as Prompto wiped a stray tear from his eyes, he was feeling better. “Let’s go find the other two.” 

There wasn’t a response, but the feather pen tipped down and the writing stopped.

Gladio and Ignis were still gathering books when Prompto arrived, each with a small stack in his arms. They had recruited one of the bookkeepers to help, though when Prompto arrived both men turned toward him and abandoned any further searching.

“Did you find what you were searching for?” However, something in Ignis’s tone was not quite right. It was clear something was bothering him, ticking at the edges of his consciousness. 

“Yeah.” Prompto looked over his shoulder, knowing that Noctis had to be right there. It was an old habit, one that he had gotten out of. But it was so easy to fall back into it. “I uh, was right, on most accounts. You guys, uh, look like you’ve been busy.” 

"There's a surprising amount of information on the subjects. It's difficult to narrow down to the more specific." Ignis lifted the stack of books in his hands and gestured them towards Prompto. "These are for you. Gladio has already chosen several for himself."

Prompto took the stack with a hmfph, looking at the many books in the stack. "Hey, Noct can read too. Right? What're we looking for exactly?"

_ "Don't rope me into this." _

"These are very interesting sounding books, actually. Rare historical accounts of non-daemonic apparitions, poltergeists, even one account of a woman who claimed a ghost as her lover." Ignis set his hand on the books, raising a brow.

"Fine. But Noctis you have to help too." Prompto resigned, moving towards the only exit once more. "Maybe we can figure out that ghost sex stuff."

"I thought that one might be more your speed. Though maybe you and Gladio should read it together. He seemed to have an interest in that one, earlier." Though his mind was elsewhere, Ignis still managed to deliver his lines with the appropriate levels of sass. "While you two are reading there's… something else I need to do."

"Maybe all three of us can read that one, eh, Noct?" Prompto chuckled, elbowing Gladio who shrugged and nodded. 

"Yeah. Maybe we'll have a surprise for you when you get back Iggs." The wolfish grin spread from ear to ear on the Shield’s face.

"I truly hope you are all successful." Ignis nodded, a smile trying to edge its way in. He was doubting less and less. After the courtyard it was almost impossible not to admit something of Noctis remained. "I don't know what it will mean if I'm successful in my own endeavors. I am, in a sense, chasing a mystery. But between the three of you I'm certain you will make some headway."

"Be safe, Iggy. We don't know what this is but if what you're looking for has any power similar to Titan," Gladio sighed. "I know you're not helpless, but in this instance, don't play the hero."

With a nod Ignis departed, heading in the opposite direction of the other two. The logical decision was to go back to their room and start right away, even if the thought of so much reading was imposing… well, to some. 

It wasn’t but a few hundred paces into their walk back that Prompto heard a familiar voice once again, directly over his shoulder.  _ “There’s a book in Gladio’s stack called ‘Secrets of Ether’... you think I could take a look at that when we get to the room? I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. I know that sounds strange. I’m dead and noncorporeal, how can I think? Well… see that’s part of what’s strange about it all… I think being ‘ethereal’ is a pretty apt description of what’s going on with me and uh… the words…” _

“What was that Prompto?” Gladio shot behind him, causing the sharpshooter to almost walk straight into a wall. 

“I didn’t say anything. But Noctis did.” Prompto watched as Gladio stopped mid step and tented his brows.

“What? I heard ‘Secrets of Ether’, ‘noncorporeal’ and ‘ethereal’. You’re telling me you said nothing?” Gladio took a step back in Prompto’s direction. 

“That is what I said.” Prompto’s eyes went wide, excitement sparkling in them. “Does that mean you’re getting stronger, Noct?”

_ “Um… maybe. How does that make sense, though? After summoning Titan I was totally wiped. Shouldn’t it be the opposite? Okay Prom. I'm gonna try something. I’m gonna try touching you, see if it’s both ways or just the speaking that’s getting stronger.” _

The touch of cold that was Noctis pressed against Gladio’s chest. It was the intention that he would be simultaneously doing the same to Prompto. 

“Holy Six dude!” Prompto took a step back and dropped the stack of books he was holding onto the ground. “Dude. Cold much?”

“Hey Noct.” Gladio, on the other hand didn’t move past the booming laugh that echoed from deep in his gut. “And Prom, you always were a baby about the cold.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are so many shenanigans and its only going to get worse! Oh, the things Titan could do!
> 
> We appreciate all kudos and respond to all comments. No idea when we'll update again, but hopefully everyone is staying safe during the quarantine!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis get stronger, and continues to mess with the power of the Astrals. What could possibly go wrong? Someone gets sick, and the tension builds. Will one life have to be swapped for another to exist?

When ‘Secrets of Ether’ was placed aside the cover had opened, seemingly on its own. Every now and again the pages moved, even though no visible hand was there to turn them. Noctis was mostly quiet, though when he’d been quiet too long he made sure they knew he was still there, either with a gentle touch or by reading a few lines of the book aloud. 

A short while later the book closed and the feeling of cold returned to the space between Gladio and Prompto, who were currently reading a book together.  _ “Did you find anything interesting in that romance novel?” _

Prompto let out an exasperated huffing noise, falling into Gladio’s arm. “So the first part of this is basically just softcore porn, or, what’d ya call it, Gladio?” 

“Smut.”

“Right. Smut. So like, it goes on like that for like thirty pages. She talks about this guy, who she fell in love with blah blah blah. But like he’s dead, and that makes their love  _ so _ much stronger. Or something. And she goes on and like has all this crazy wild sex and they get married. And we are currently at the part where she is arguing with him, because she wants kids. But the dude’s dead, right?” A groan pressed through Prompto’s lips. “Ignis is lucky he can’t read. This sucks.”

“I kinda like it.” Gladio shrugged, flipping the page. 

_ “Right. That does sound right up Gladio’s alley. So this book over here, it’s really old and written in a way that makes getting lectured by Ignis sound like happy fun times… but once you get past all that it has some interesting points. The author talks about the ether, right? So it’s this extra dimensional space beyond time. His terminology is kinda messed up, but I get it, just like what he’s calling the beyond. I’ve been there. And that’s where the Astral Bahamut lives. So like, the Armiger and all that… just a part of the ether, beyond, whatever. All our magic is borrowed from the ether, and the crystal is a physical manifestation of ether birthed from the planet. He thinks stuff like the Six, and the Oracle power and the Meteor… all that, all connected. You get me?” _

“Uh huh,” Prompto had now successfully wormed his way  _ into _ Gladio’s lap, who was still rather fascinated by the memoir, or whatever smut he was reading 

_ “So good chance that I’m just consciousness and ‘ether’ too, yeah? So if I could find more ‘ether’ there’s no reason I couldn’t eventually solidify, right? But if it’s just the Six and the Meteor and Crystal… how do I find more?”  _ A cold wind blew softly across Prompto and Gladio in turn, barely enough to raise the hairs on their arms. 

"Wow! How'd you get that from a book?" Prompto yawned, head lying across Gladio's chest. 

"He ain't that stupid. He's just got good at pretending." Gladio looked up from the book, as if to glance at the King, only to find he wasn't there. "Dudes, this is weird."

_ "This… is what Ignis gave us all these books for, right? You don't really think he just wanted info on why Titan freaked out and why I'm still here, do you?" _

"I honestly don't know. You know Ignis. He has his own way of thinking and doing things. If Gladio can hear you now, maybe Iggy can too? Why don't you ask him." Prompto's stomach grumbled loudly as he shifted again in Gladio's lap. 

"Sit still." The grumble came as Gladio wrapped his arms around the smaller man's torso. 

"I'm hungry!" Prompto whined. 

_ "Seems you haven't matured much in the last ten years, after all."  _ Noctis laughed, the sound more tinny than it once was. 

Just as the sound concluded the door pulled open and Ignis appeared, visor on and a sheen of sweat on his brow. He seemed somewhat relieved that the others were present. 

"I can't catch it." He heaved, smoothing down his coat and the back of his hair. 

"Catch what?" Prompto squirmed, but Gladio's grip was steadfast.

"The other light. It's fast and it knew I was chasing, or else it wouldn't have kept… teleporting." Ignis said the last part with some bitterness in his mouth. He was aware that he sounded absolutely nuts. So had deemed all the people in the Citadel watching him run and climb about, very obviously blind without the barrier that was his visor. 

_ "Teleporting? Like warping?"  _

"Warping? But I thought only you and the glaives could do that?" Prompto fell to the ground, finally worming out of Gladio's grasp. Or the bigger man had simply given up.

"Technically anyone under a King's umbrella could do it, should they be trained to." Ignis could think of a few people, but nothing exactly solid. "Did we figure out why Noctis came back? That information would most definitely narrow down the prospects."

"Noctis said something about him being consciousness and ether. It probably has something to do with the Crystal, or the Ring or the fact that he was blessed by Bahamut. But do you think that has anything to do with it?” Gladio shrugged. “I mean, if Luna’s back too maybe it has something to do with being the King and the Oracle.” 

“That still doesn’t explain whatever I was chasing through the Citadel.” Ignis grunted, his jaw tight as he ingested the new information. “But I’m glad your research was getting somewhere. At least I was the only one wasting time.”

_ “You sound tense, Iggs. It’s not that big a deal you don’t have to worry about everything all the time.” _

Ignis moved towards the bed, where the books had been splayed about and put down a hand. “You could be taking better of these books, though. Remember there aren’t any printing presses up and running as of yet.”

“Noctis is right.” Prompto fled Gladio’s returning grasp and moved carefully around the books on the floor to stand behind Ignis on the bed. It was only luck that he wasn’t wearing any shoes. “You need to relax. Here. I will give your tense shoulders a rub.”

“I could rub something else.”

“Stop, I’m covered in sweat.” Ignis groaned, touching at his temple only to draw the droplets as proof. He flicked them away, careful not to do so in the direction of the books. “I wanted to make some important headway before night fell and we’ve barely scratched the surface!” 

_ "Just like him to avoid sweaty activities just cause he's  _ already _ sweaty." _

“Didn’t we make headway? It is only lunch time, I think we’ve got time. But if you  _ relaxed _ you’d be more help. If you’re so insistent,” Prompto flopped onto the bed with a grunt. “Then go shower and we will go down for lunch.”

Showers were definitely one of the luxuries that had been easiest to fall back into. Ignis had stood straight and was about to protest when he remembered just how gross he had to be. He really should have left his jacket in the room. Now he was going to have to have the pit stains hand washed out of it. “Fine. I’ll clean up. You’re right.”

“Iggs. Noctis says relax. So, maybe you should? We all work better when all our heads are put together. Ya know?” Prompto flipped over, eyes following Ignis as he moved.

“We’ll figure it out, Ignis. Promise.” Gladio had stood, and took a few steps towards the other man. 

“Noct always says ‘relax’.” Ignis let out a breath rather than a laugh and removed his visor to reveal closed eyes. His brow crinkled with the bright light that bombarded him, then he removed his sweaty jacket and turned away. “All right, Prompto. We’ll do it your way. You read my books, so I’ll try to take the edge off for whatever ideas you may have. After a shower.”

“And food!” Prompto called out, managing to flop onto the floor. 

....

When he left the room again, Ignis did so without his gloves and jacket, though his visor and boots went back on. He'd been thus far unable to either feel or hear Noctis, though he didn't expect it was far off. The three of them and possibly one ghost headed toward the kitchens, where they could either resign to scheduled mass meal times or sneak back into the kitchen to whip something up for themselves. They'd done it before. Many times, though not as often as they used to considering Ignis had cafeteria duty three times a week.

It didn't take long into their meal before people just coming in began talking about startling weather patterns.

"It's a good thing all the holes in the walls and ceilings were fixed. There's a nasty wind storm out there." 

"I heard the Marshal say it could be a tornado coming." 

"When has there ever been a tornado in Insomnia?"

"It's just a thunderstorm. Don't exaggerate."

The momentary and intense internal conflict was resolved with a sigh as Ignis lifted a hand. "Yes, Prompto. It sustains logic that you are right."

"Score!" Prompto smiled from ear to ear. "Ramuh?"

"Can we tether that little shit to us so he stops causing problems?" Gladio spoke between bites of his food.

"If you can figure out how, be my guest. I think maybe asking him to stop summoning sleeping gods would be the first step. Right, Prompto?" Since Ignis had seen Prompto having long conversations with an invisible partner it seemed only logical that he should be the one to ask.

"I'll ask, but when has that worked in the past? Noctis does what Noctis wants.” Prompto sighed, eyeing the food on Gladio’s plate with envy. 

As though on command Ignis pushed his own plate over to Prompto, his tented brow only barely visible over his visor. “Please try. If he’ll listen to anyone it would be you.” Which was funny considering Ignis had always been the advisor. 

The room dimmed slightly before crackling with light as thunder pounded above them. 

Prompto jumped a good several inches in his seat before he began to chow down on the remains of Ignis’s food. “So, we go and find him? Do you think Ramuh is acting out for the same reason Titan did?”

“I don’t know if it's a good or bad thing if he is…” Ignis sighed, and now that he was the only one without food he stood and pressed a hand to his temple. There was a certain restlessness to his tone and actions that was hard to put a finger on. “Perhaps I should get a jump on the search. There’s no telling what else might happen. The incident with Titan was an absolute disaster. The Citadel won’t survive much more of this.”

"So we go find him and tell him that vandalizing was better than this." Gladio stood, plate cleaned and headed for the exit. 

“I bet we should be looking either in the courtyards or the top of the tower.” Ignis hypothesized. “But I suppose we just follow the electrical currents.”

.…

The courtyards were cloud covered and drenched with rain as the trio approached. Thick fog and thunder was unusual for any time of the year, but especially in the hot, dry Insomnian summers. The carefully tended flowers and bushes were heavy with water, and each footstep in the marshy grass squelched. 

Sitting atop the stone sculptures that were centerpiece to the lush gardens was the outline of Noctis. He was bordered in electric blues, though his skin and clothes held absolutely no color. On his face was a smug, ghostly smile.

“Noctis?” Prompto blinked, rubbing the moisture from his eyes. When he reopened them, and Noctis was still visible, the blond took off at a full on sprint. “You’re kidding me! Dude! You’re like visible!” 

“Ignis, this is incredible.” Gladio looked down at the other man, a smirk on his face. “It is, without a doubt Noctis.”

“ _ Yeah. it’s working. Just like I thought it might _ .” They could now see his grin, the movement of his lips. Even if he was still somewhat see through it was a vast improvement. “ _ So, what do you think? Should I keep this up or is this the limit? I was thinking that-” _

Right as Gladio had taken two steps forward and Prompto had reached the central garden Ignis keeled over and started to vomit, crumpling to the ground and only catching himself on the edge of the concrete border. 

"Ignis?" Gladio back peddled fast enough to give himself whiplash. Strong hands went to Ignis's shoulder as he bent down to come level with the advisor. 

Prompto was only a few moments behind, placing his own hands on the small of Ignis's back. "Are you okay?"

Even Noctis came down from the statue to see what was wrong, but the moment his cold hand touched Ignis's back the man's body tensed and he retched again. Beads of sweat formed heavily on his cheekbones and brow. 

Noctis pulled back, trying to process.  _ "Whoa… did I do  _ that  _ too?" _

“I don’t know. We need to go find a medic. Noctis, come with us.” Gladio moved, grabbing Ignis from under the knees and supporting him at the back. “Just don’t throw up on me Iggy.” 

Prompto and Noctis followed the swift pace as they moved back into the castle and up towards the elevators. 

“I’m taking him up to our room. Go find someone. Anyone. Kay, Prompto?” Gladio didn’t wait for a response, disappearing into a waiting elevator. 

Noctis did what he was asked, and the three were immediately out of Prompto’s view. Ignis’s arguments didn’t clear the situation, and the more he rambled that he must have eaten something that didn’t agree with him, and that he’d been ill for a couple days and it was nothing to be concerned with did not lower the urgency at all. In fact, the more he spoke the more Noctis believed it was something he had done. Whether it was summoning the Six or just his appearance in general… or if it was the other ghost he’d seemingly been chasing. It all led back to this. 

It explained a lot about the way Ignis had been acting… and nothing at all about what was really going on. 

….

Prompto was quick to return, having Cor and another following. He had not explained that Noctis was a ghost, nor did he really explain anything past the point of Ignis being sick. So, the moment that the two strangers entered the room, it wasn’t a surprise that their jaws hit the floor. 

“Prompto.” The Marshal did not tear his eyes away from Noctis’s ghostly visage, in fact altogether forgetting the reason they had actually come in. “Explain what is going on here. Without rambling. Clearly.”

Letting out a long sigh, the sharpshooter put his hands behind his head. “So, Noctis is a ghost. And all the vandalizing was actually him. He’s been talking to me for a while and well, Gladio and Ignis thought I was crazy, so we didn’t tell you. He summoned Titan, and accidentally destroyed that portion of the Citadel. He summoned Ramuh and: windstorm. But now Iggy is sick and Noctis went to touch him, and well, he threw up more. Right Noct?” Prompto turned and looked pleadingly at the King, hoping for a life line so he wouldn’t drown under Cor’s gaze. 

Cor’s eyes shot to Noctis as the see through man nodded. He had difficulty pulling his gaze away. It didn’t seem real. Or possible. “Okay. I can honestly say I have both heard and seen crazier things than the ghost of our young King… but what I’m seeing here, it should not be possible.”

_ “I can help with that.” _ Noctis gave poor Prompto a pass, understanding that the blond had been doing all the talking as of late. Now he could finally give back, even if his voice was tinny and distorted. _ “I’ve been summoning the Astrals, trying to collect enough magic to bring myself back, at least in a superficial way. It seems to be the only thing that’s really working but… I don’t know why that would be affecting Ignis like this. His blindness amplifies his other senses, I get that, but that doesn’t mean he should be throwing up because I’m getting stronger…” _

“Noctis,” Prompto turned to look at his friend, be it see through or not, and frowned. “You can’t blame yourself for this, dude. You were only doing what you thought was needed.” 

“And it doesn’t help that Ignis is a stubborn fool who won’t let us in on his secrets.” Gladio gunted, pulling the washcloth from the blind man’s forehead, only to replace it with one from a bowl of ice water. 

_“Classic Iggy.”_ Noctis gave a sigh, if such a thing was possible for someone without breath. _“I remember the whole thing with him and the ring, how he lost his eyes and got those scars. How long was it before he actually told anyone what had really happened to him?”_ Noctis had only known by putting two and two together. He’d never actually been told. The time they’d had together had been very brief after that. 

“He never really  _ told  _ anyone.” Gladio shook his head, wringing the washcloth out just to have something to do with his hands. 

“Ya know, like shortly after you went into the crystal, he kinda implied a lot about what he had known, and he started to prepare us for what was going to happen when you returned. Still to this day I don’t know exactly how he got those wounds. Or why the ring didn’t kill him.” Prompto moved closer to the bed, a pang of guilt pulling at the muscle in his chest. 

Cor watched the exchange carefully, urging the medical staff he’d brought along to do their job while he deciphered everything he was seeing. “Ignis is the only one other than a Caelum or an Oracle to have survived the ring, correct? I have always been curious as to why that is. Or what the impact of such a thing might be. Even Ravus didn’t live long enough for us to delve into such things, so Ignis is the only example.” But even that didn’t seem to be enough. Cor glanced again to the visage of Noctis, his eyes tracing and surveying everything he could. “However, when it comes to ghosts… there is a record. And this does not fit in with anything I have ever read.”

“Well,” Prompto perked up, and gestured to the room. “We’ve been researching. I think everyone here would love whatever input the ‘Immortal’ has.”

Gladio sighed, removing himself from Ignis’s side to join the conversation at large. “I told you I would let you know when we had good proof.” 

“And obviously you do.” Cor gestured to Noctis, who was all the older man needed to believe at least the majority of the things the others had said. “But there’s something to consider. This isn’t your usual haunting. Typically ghosts, unless they are daemonic in origin, have a repetitive pattern or a limited ability to think and process their surroundings. They are unable to truly learn or rationalize. The difference here is your ability to process the crystal’s magic, which means either you are not a ghost at all or that the attachment to the crystal has caused an anomaly of some sort. Have you tried to make contact with the crystal or the beyond?”

Noctis crossed his arms, shifting from one foot to the other in an instinctive way. _“It’s not exactly that easy. I can’t leave the Citadel or expose myself to the sun. And I can’t just ‘contact’ things outside my range of ability.”_

“But you can still summon the Astrals?” Cor seemed to have a hard time believing this.

_“Well, they’re invisible when I do it… “_ Noctis hadn’t tried thinking too deeply into the mechanics of such a thing. It was something he could do before and he just assumed it had something to do with that. _“So maybe I’m not really summoning them. Maybe it’s more like summoning the memory of them.”_

“Whoa. Dude. Like an echo?” Prompto looked expectantly from Cor to Noctis. 

“How is that even possible?” Gladio chimed in, eyes focusing on Ignis.

“I dunno. How is anything else possible?” Noctis gave a shrug. There had been a lot he’d been unable to do. Especially when it came to trying to use his old magic. All that had remained was the ability to tap into the link between his spirit and the Six.

Cor lifted a finger, having another thought beyond what Noctis was brushing aside. “Echoes makes sense, but I’m not sure they are entirely accurate. Echoes build up where energy or magic are left behind, either by one person or by many. Sometimes even by technology or animals. To be an echo would mean that you would be tapping into an imprint on your own spirit. Such a thing would not imbue you with any additional magic unless it was already contained within that spirit.    
  
“Summoning the Astrals, by my understanding, was achieved by a link or ‘covenant’. And after Noctis…” He hesitated to say the word ‘died’, even though they were all entirely aware that was what had happened… “The Astrals returned to their slumber. Reports have come in that Titan has returned to the Disc. It was assumed the others had returned to their places of rest, as well. And the crystal… There have been numerous theories. All we know for certain is that we still have light and life… so the crystal remains… somewhere, in some form.”

“So, what is it?” Prompto shook his head as if trying to figure it out. “I am super excited to have you back dude, in whatever way. But like. Why? How? I mean, is it because of the crystal?”

It was all so much to take in, in such a short amount of time, and it was obviously overwhelming to everyone, especially with how quickly their whole world was being turned upside down. 

_“Maybe….”_ Noctis crumpled his brow, deep in thought. While it all seemed sound, he knew they were missing some very important links. It didn’t explain how he could still tap into something of sleeping Gods or why Ignis was ill and seemed to be getting worse. _“But even if we can find a better way to get in touch with the crystal… that doesn’t explain why Ignis is sick.”_

From the bed blind eyes cracked open and Ignis’s mouth stayed slack as though he wanted to speak. Something was causing him to physically choose not to. His eyes squeezed shut and he turned his head away. 

“Ignis?” Gladio moved back over to the man on the bed, abandoning any part of the conversation that could be important or not. The only thing on his mind was the man laying in bed. “What is it?”

“I’ll be fine.” Ignis murmured, grasping his left wrist with his right, over his chest. “You shouldn’t let whatever’s going on with me hinder your journey towards helping Noctis. It’s just a bug it has nothing to do with this. It’s merely… a … an unfortunate coincidence.” Some of the green color had faded from his skin, leaving him a little flush but otherwise looking marginally better.

“Ignis.” A large hand placed itself upon the still fresh looking scars on his face as he frowned. “Not to sound insensitive to Noctis, but you’re still alive. Noctis can wait. Your health is important.”

The touch seemed to soothe Ignis a bit, but on the reverse Gladio could feel the intense heat radiating from beneath his hand. 

_“I have an idea. And a thought… not exactly in that order.”_ Noctis had come closer, but was unsure he should touch Ignis after the last time. _“You’re right. Stuff doesn’t have to happen right away. But… if we send some people out, maybe find out what happened to the crystal… that’s probably a better way of gathering energy than summoning. It would definitely be less destructive, and in the meantime it would give Ignis time to get better.”_

“The last time any of us saw the Crystal was-” Gladio looked up at the semi transparent Noctis, the words drowning amidst the sorrow. “Zegnatus keep.”

“We left it there. It was too dangerous to transport back. We were barely able to bring back enough to scrap the Regalia. All of Niflheim was covered in daemons.” Prompto let out a sigh. 

This time it was Cor that spoke up, knowing that despite everything they had discussed so far there was going to be much more to come to light in the coming days, weeks and months. “I will send a team to Niflheim. Now that everything has started to settle Gralea should be open to us. The environment around the capital has transformed back to its original state, not seen for many, many years and the trains are about ready for their first runs of civilians that want to return home. It’s a simple task, really. I send men, and depending on what they find we will either transport the crystal or widen our search.”

_“It’s… not going to be where you left it.”_ Noctis could feel it. _“When I left the crystal I was transported to Angelgard, off the coast of Galdin Quay. I’d start the search there.”_

"Has anyone even been to Angelgard since? I think that'd be my first guess, too." Gladio spoke from his spot besides Ignis. He also noted that the skin not ring scarred was cool to the touch, just a tad under normal skin temperature.

"Angelgard it is." Cor gave a nod, watching Gladio checking Ignis's temperature despite the doctor beside him trying to do the same. "I'll send out some men immediately. When our men visited six months ago there was nothing but rock, but it's quite possible things have changed since the dawn."

_"How is he doing?"_ Noctis's appearance behind the doctor made the man stand erect, a visible chill running down his body. Noctis leaned in and was struck with worry. Streaming from Ignis’s long healed scars was purple wisps of flame. Wisps he could only see now that he was a touch too close. Red lines marked his skin as though his veins were on fire. They glowed through the sleeve of his shirt. There, where his left wrist was gripped by his right the flames were almost engulfing his hand… and there in the center was the charred black outline of a ring. _“Gladio, Prompto? Do you guys see this?”_ Somehow, he had a feeling if they had they would have mentioned something sooner. 

“What are you talking about?” Prompto had followed Noctis to the bedside, now looking at Ignis, concerned. 

“I don’t see anything.” Gladio chimed in. 

_“He’s… on fire.”_ It was the only way Noctis could describe it. _“I-I don’t mean like he’s hot. I mean there’s purple flames pouring off his body.”_

Ignis shook his head, still somehow conscious. “I thought it felt familiar.” The groan was slight, but it pulled his words uncomfortably. “I lived through it once, I’ll do it again. Don’t worry about me. There’s nothing you can do.”

“What are you talking about?” Gladio grabbed Ignis’s hand, only to find that it was rather warm. “Ignis. This isn’t good. Not at all.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It starts to get more tense here, and Ignis just got in the cross fire. Of course. It will get better, and sorry (not sorry) about the cliff hanger! 
> 
> We appreciate all comments and kudos! Thank you for reading.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ignis is only getting worse, but it seems that Noctis might have a plan. Prompto finally gets to meet Luna, and it is the best day of his life. 
> 
> Will their idea work or will it be the end of our favorite advisor?

Ignis’s fever did not seem to want to break, and it always seemed to flare any time that Noctis got anywhere near the other man. The amount of guilt that put on Noctis was incredible, feeling that everything was entirely his fault and that if they didn’t figure out what was going on, Ignis might not make it out of the strange magical sickness. 

Before Cor had left under the assumption that finding the crystal was now imperative, the older man had mentioned that it seemed as though Ignis’s very life force was trying to draw into Noctis, though it wasn’t at all a possibility. Noctis stayed away, regardless, finding that ten feet seemed to be a good, safe distance. 

“He keeps telling me not to worry.” Noctis put a hand to his forehead. “Almost like he doesn’t care that getting too close could be killing him. What the hell is going through that dumb head?”

“Ignis always said he would have done anything if it meant it would save you.” Gladio spoke, sitting on a bench at the far end of the room they called home. He lifted his head from his hands, glancing at the bed where Prompto was feeding the blind man soup. Just as he had cared for Ignis after he had first become blind, Prompto seemed to have a knack for caring for Ignis in his vulnerability. “I think  _ he _ thinks if it makes  _ you _ stronger, it’s worth it.”

"Yeah, I don't want him sacrificing himself for me." Noctis gave a sigh, knowing that Ignis would most definitely do so. "Bet he thinks this is a him or me sort of situation, but it's stupid to give up your life for someone who's already dead." 

"When has Ignis ever listened to the lot of us?" Gladio sighed, looking back at the still transparent Noctis. "He's gonna be the death of  _ all of us _ ."

"That's ominous. You stop that." Noctis pointed a finger at Gladio, what seemed to be a frown on his face. "I'm the only ghost in this room. The rest of you have years to go. No taking the easy way out. You just have to take whatever Ignis wants and do the opposite."

"That's what we're doing. But it still doesn't help the fact that he's not getting any better. This is worse than when he lost his sight. Hopefully Cor and the others return soon." Gladio stood, uncertain of what to do with the excess energy.

"Maybe I should talk with Luna. The summonings have let her get a little stronger too, and she always understood more about these things than I ever did." Noctis put a cold hand to Gladio's arm, one that now had a bit of heft and electricity to it. "Maybe she can still contact Umbra… that way we could get the message to and from Cor faster."

"Would Umbra be able to leave the Citadel?" Gladio let out a long breath. "It's worth a shot, I guess. I'm gonna swap out for Prompto. Maybe you can take him with you?"

Noctis nodded. It was a good idea, and out of everyone Prompto had always wanted to meet Luna the most. It was as good a time as any. "Sure. We'll be back soon."

It only took a moment for Gladio and Promto to switch places and for Ignis to be reassured that they would return shortly.

"Gladio said we're going to meet Luna?" Prompto had a big smile from ear to ear as he started heading towards the door. 

Noctis didn't need the door opened, but followed behind Prompto so as not to freak him out by walking through. "Yeah. I know you never got to meet her, before. She's getting stronger too. You should be able to see her now, but… she still can't seem to leave the throne room."

"Hasn't that kinda freaked people out? I mean, not everyone knows about you, yet." But there was a visible pep in Prompto's step as they hurried to the elevator. 

Noctis slowed only momentarily, realizing just how true that statement really was. “I don’t think more than you guys… and now Cor and that doctor, have seen either of us. Maybe… maybe we should keep it that way for now.” Though Noctis was honestly at a loss for how to do that. He wasn’t exactly able to just throw a sheet over himself or put on a goofy disguise. It would have to be a little more clever than that… or more elusive. 

Prompto had moved several paces further before realizing that Noctis was not keeping pace with him. “I mean, can you turn off how solid you are?” Turning, he put eyes on his best friend. 

“I don’t know. Let’s try but… in the elevator.” There weren’t usually other people in the elevator. It was a much more private way to do it as Noctis didn’t know how or what he was doing. Noctis just hoped he wasn’t wrong about people not hanging out in the elevator.

Once the elevator arrived the two stepped inside and Noctis let Prompto direct them to their destination. Immediately he was trying to focus and essentially ‘disappear’. Other than looking really constipated his attempts amounted to nothing. 

Prompto giggled, trying hard not to make a face. “You know, that makes me wonder. Do you go to the bathroom or eat?”

“Shut up, Prom.” Noctis rolled his ethereal eyes. “I can apparently get rid of facial hair and dress nice but no, I can’t go to the bathroom or eat. All my energy is pretty much in electrical impulses. When I run out I poof. Or I did. I don’t know what will happen now that you guys can see me and I can touch for real. Maybe I  _ should _ try eating something.” The elevator dinged to signify their floor and Noctis grew very nervous, almost as though a switch had been flipped. Outside there were definitely people, one of the cleaning and repair crews. Not a large number, but enough that he would be noticed if he stepped from the elevator.

“Oh! I can have Ig-” Prompto stopped, his eyes darting to the ground for only the briefest of moments before the doors slide open. “You know, I actually learned a little bit of cooking and if Iris is around she and Ignis did a  _ lot _ of cooking during the ten years of darkness.”

The elevator doors slid open, and Prompto left without even so much as a word to the other man, waiting for Noctis to follow. “So, if she’s close, we could always see if she had a moment to cook. You know, I’m sure she missed you too!”

“Uh… yeah…” Noctis glanced out, and only when he was pretty sure no one was looking did he hurry across the hallway towards Prompto. Now, even if they saw him they wouldn’t be face to face. “I’m not sure it’s time to show me to the world, yet. I want to figure out this whole Ignis thing first and make sure I don’t have to… you know…”

"Oh. Yeah, right." Prompto paused at the entrance to the throne room. His eyes flitted to the large double doors before falling to the floor. "Ya know, being in this room is still hard. Seeing you up there... Pulling you down ... It was the most painful thing, especially after we'd just gotten you back."

"But I'm here now...sorry you had to go through all that." Noctis hadn't come to in his ghost form until all of the evidence had been removed. Sometimes he wondered whether or not he had a body, buried somewhere. Rotting away… or if the crystal had done what it did with Luna and absorbed the physical being into flecks of ether. "I won't do that to you again."

"You had to, ya know? I get it. But-" Out of everyone Prompto had taken it the worst, which was saying a lot considering Gladio and Ignis had blamed themselves and called themselves failures. Ignis had known what was going to happen, and in part so did Gladio. But Prompto had held onto hope for those ten years that everything would go back exactly the way it had been before. 

"So, I've waited like fifteen years to meet Lady Lunafreya. You gonna introduce me to her?" Prompto turned to the ghost Noctis and forced a smile.

"Of course." Noctis had to wait for Prompto to open the door, but he did so patiently, letting the blond take his time to adjust. "I would have done it years ago if I'd had the chance." They all knew what had happened and there was no reason to repeat old, bad memories.

"Well, no time like the present!" Prompto took in a sharp, deep breath, centering himself before pushing the door open. The natural light cascaded from the ceiling, flooding the room with all the ambience it would ever require. The throne room was always one of the most beautiful rooms in the Citadel, even when empty and unused.

Sitting on the top step of the stairwell was the outline of a girl in a long dress, her attention currently not on either of the men who had just entered. In front of her was a collection of photographs. Prompto's photographs. 

"Luna? Do you have a moment to talk?" Noctis looked up, softly, though Luna's face held a hint of melancholy as she met his gaze.

Prompto's eyes stared at the stairs and for a moment he was rendered speechless. Luna looked like an embodiment of the sun itself. Many times, Prompto had been called sunny and, for a while during their roadtrip, he even got called sunflower by Gladio. But now? Prompto could be assured they'd all been wrong. 

Luna slowly lifted her head, taking a moment to realize they were standing there. A soft smile lifted the corners of her mouth as she gently piled the photos in her hand. She stood, taking a few steps down the stairs towards them, the elegant white train of her dress trailing behind her. If Prompto didn’t know better, he would have called it a wedding dress, or maybe it was?

_ “Prompto?” _ Luna’s voice was soft and sounded as if it had been unused for a long time, or perhaps as if she was speaking through a veil of water. She turned to Noctis, tilting her head slightly to the side as she lifted one hand up, and gently placed it on Noctis’s check. “You have been gone some time.”

“Sorry.” Noctis tilted into her touch. “Ignis has been sick, but that’s no excuse for not coming back.” There was an apologetic look on his face, his eyes looking at her from lowered brow to ask for forgiveness. 

_ “It is perfectly alright. I am used to the solitude. I was waiting a long time for you before. A few hours will not be the end.” _ Luna let her hand fall from Noctis’s face as she turned back to Prompto.  _ “I would be completely lost if it was not for the beautiful work of our lovely photographer here. Your pictures have been something that has kept my sanity in check during these long silent days of isolation. Thank you.” _

Prompto was stunned to silence, but Noctis didn’t mind, instead turning to Luna fully. “Luna… the things I’ve been doing… bringing the Astrals back here to make us stronger? I think it might be what’s making Ignis sick. Whenever I get near him he practically lights on fire.” If there had been any way he could take Luna to the room, he would do it. 

Prmpto shook his head, a slight blush brushing his freckled checks. “Oh, Lady Lunafreya!” Prompto shook his head, taking a hand to his stomach and bowing low to Luna. 

This seemed to elicit a laugh from Luna, and it was possibly one of the most beautiful sounds Prompto had ever heard. _ “Do stand. You do not need to be so formal, my friend.”  _

Standing, Prompto’s eyes were twinkling with excitement. 

_ “As for Ignis.” _ Luna let out a sigh, her shoulders slumping as she turned back towards the stairs in thought.  _ “His contact with the ring’s powers makes him vulnerable to the mass influx of ether you are generating. The gods, or may I say Bahamut, decided he was worthy, and allowed him access to powers that he should not have tried for. The scars upon his person are no ordinary scars. They are remnants of the power he had borrowed.” _

“The ring is gone.” Noctis pointed out. He’d thought much the same but without the ring or the crystal it didn’t seem logical that Ignis’s scars would react as such. “We need to figure out how to make it stop. If anyone could figure it out it would be you. I wish we could take you to him.”

“Hey, Noct. So you remember that smut that Gladio was reading? About that crazy old lady and her ghost lover?” Prompto didn’t wait for a response before continuing. “Well, he got to this scene where she had him take over her body and like had this whole super sexual experience. 

“But like, do you think that maybe you guys could do the same? I mean, not the whole weird body sex thing, but maybe a posession of sorts?” Prompto looked excitedly from Noctis to Luna.

“You wanna have ghost sex with Luna?” It wasn’t a bad idea, but the wording had Noctis cracking up at the seams. “I knew you had a thing for her but…”

_ “Noctis Lucis Caelum.” _ Luna spoke, although there appeared to be a slight blush on her ghostly features. 

“Noooooocct! Dude!” Prompto however was the same color as a tomato. “You can’t be serious, dude! I said without the weird ghost sex stuff!”

“I mean yeah, okay. Later. Right now let’s focus on the not-sex stuff and get Luna inside you.” Though admittedly that also sounded like a euphemism. Noctis shrugged it away and moved over to Luna. Although he didn’t have to help her down the rest of the steps it seemed to be habitual… if such things were possible for ghosts.

Luna took Noctis's hand and descended the last couple stairs. They moved together up to Prompto who once again stood dumbstruck at Luna's beauty. She didn't walk, she glided, an almost otherworldly glow about her. 

Prompto couldn't help but smile as he came face to face with her. "Alright Lady Luna. Where do we start?"

Luna looked to Noctis briefly before turning her attention back to Prompto. _ "I am uncertain, my dear Prompto." _

"We're just going to have to try things until we succeed." Noctis gave a nod. "It might be as simple as walking into you. I've never tried it so far…"

Luna nodded, moving the few steps between her and Prompto. Their faces were mere inches apart. Prompto could hear his heart pounding in his ears as Luna reached out her icy hands to touch Prompto's face. 

For a moment nothing happened, though as Prompto was about to speak, he felt a warmth radiating from Luna's fingertips. A brilliant light accompanied the warmth and it grew around him. Prompto slowly felt as if he himself was becoming the bright warmth he was surrounded by. The sensation bubbled and grew until it felt as though he was going to burst. It wasn't euphoric, but it didn't feel bad. Uncomfortable, but also relaxing.

As suddenly as it began, the light was gone, but the warmth inside him remained. Prompto blinked, almost seeing the world through a white light. Looking down, his skin appeared glowing as well. "Dude. What's going on?"

"I think it worked." Noctis grinned. From the outside he looked the same as always, but there was a slight glow to his eyes that hadn't been there before. "Hey Luna, how's it going?"

_ "Prompto. You should take better care of yourself." _ Prompto's mouth moved and Luna's voice came out.

"Duuuuuude!"

"What do you mean should take better care of himself?" Noctis was simply testing it, seeing if it was a switch at will or if they were actually both able to exist simultaneously.

_ "He eats too much junk food." _

"Hey. That's not fair!" Prompto whined. 

Noctis couldn't help but laugh, the fact Luna could get that from possession was both amazing and kind of unfortunate for Prompto. "Okay, okay, we won't tell anyone about your chip stash. Let's test it for real and go back to the room."

Prompto nodded, feeling a slight bit of weight added to the motion, but besides that, he felt okay. He started walking, moving back towards the door as if through a shallow pool. "This is weird."

But as they left the throne room, nothing really seemed to change except the scenery.

"Weird is alright, I think." They moved to the elevator, and so long as no one reported any changes they were fine. 

"How are you doing, Luna?" Prompto knew the answer before he finished, a sense of warmth and calm rushing from his core to his extremities. 

" _ Well. Thank you. You do have a very soft heart. I am glad you came out of the darkness without too many scars." _

"That's our Prompto. Soft as a bowl of jelly, now and forever."

There was little traffic in the hallways now, either because of a change in shift or a lunch hour, either way their timing couldn't have been better. When they reached the room it was Prompto who had to open the door. 

“You know. I take offense to being called jelly.” Prompto stuck out his tongue as he opened up, to see Gladio and Ignis almost in the same place they had left them. 

“True.” Noctis had to think about it for a moment. “I guess I can see that, I mean I hate soft desserts but… I like you. So you’re probably more like a soft pillow.” Which was undoubtedly one of Noctis’s favorite things when he’d been alive. 

"Really? A pillow?" Prompto scrunched his face together and stuck out his tongue.

" _ Boys. Is that really necessary? _ "

"I'm not the one who doesn't know how to take a compliment." Noctis mumbled, moving to the bedside, just far enough that Ignis wouldn't react to his presence. "Any change?" Noctis pointed this toward Gladio, wondering if his extended leave had perhaps helped.

"It's relatively the same. He's not getting any worse." Gladio stood, eyebrows raised as he looked from Noctis to Prompto. "You look weird Prom. What's going on?"

"Luna's inside him." Noctis said casually, allowing the combination Luna and Prompto to approach. Fortunately it didn't seem to cause any reaction.

"You know that sounds worse than it is, right?" Prompto felt his hand moving on its own accord, fingertips gently moving to Ignis's face. 

" _ Don't be crude, Noctis. _ "

"Dude. Weird!" Gladio touched Prompto's face in turn, which received a quick glare from the blond. 

Noctis smirked, but couldn’t find the energy needed to chuckle when Ignis still looked so absolutely pathetic. It seemed he was barely speaking, and Noctis couldn’t help but blame himself. “So, Luna, what’s your diagnosis? Is it the same energy from the ring or the Six, like I thought?”

The worst case scenario was that something of the ring or its power remained in Ignis, and was either drawn into Noctis like ether, or that he was instead acting as the between for Noctis and the crystal, as the ring had once been. After all, no one else who had worn the ring and survived was still around. The long term effects on Ignis were wholly unknown. 

_ “It’s hard to say. He is about ready to burst with magic, unlike anything I have seen before. It is as if he is acting as a catalyst for Bahamut’s magic as well as expelling massive amounts of ether. So, shall we say, both? But at this rate, and if it continues, he will be torn apart by it.”  _

“We can’t let that happen.” Gladio frowned, looking down at Ignis. “Why? And how do we stop it?”

“Hopefully Cor will find the crystal.” Noctis mumbled. “The only other things I can think of are… I dunno, either impossible or…” He didn’t even want to say it, though he knew better than to withhold any ideas at this point. “Well, worst case scenario? I give all the energy I have back and fade into nothing again.”

_ “That wouldn’t help. It is like a wound has been ripped open and we need to find a way to staunch it. You doing that will be detrimental to not only yourself, myself and this mysterious third entity, but it would not, at this point, fix Ignis. I think that there is a way to perhaps bring us all back.”  _

Prompto looked up, again not of his own volition, to Noctis, a slight frown etched on his face. 

_ “And I think the Crystal may be the key _ .”

“I thought so.” Noctis was unsure as to whether it was good news or bad. It meant there was hope, but they didn’t know how long it would take to locate the crystal or how much longer Ignis would last in his current condition. The two variables were incredibly important, and neither were within their grasp. “Luna… can you still contact Umbra? I’m not sure what happened to our messengers when we left this plane. But if we could call him, maybe he could get with Cor and expedite finding the crystal.”

_ “I have not tried. Unlike our reckless King, I have not attempted dangerous stunts in order to gain power and magic.” _ The words were meant as a jest, but it was perhaps not the best circumstances.  _ “I will try, but I will neither endanger Prompto nor Ignis in the process. I would like to see if there is a way for me to put a bandaid on the situation and maybe relieve Ignis of some of the unwanted pressure from the buildup of magic and ether before I go.” _

“If it’ll help, I’d cut my own heart from my chest to make him better.” Gladio placed his hand to his chest, eyes never moving from Ignis’s face. 

_ “You will not need to go to such extremes my friend. I think I can still tap into some of my Oracle powers.” _

Noctis nodded. “Anything you can do, please.” He wished he could move closer, but he instead waited in his place on the outskirts. “It’s going to take a few days at the least to locate the crystal.”

Prompto nodded for Luna, as his hands moved over Ignis’s chest. He felt the cold immediately at his fingertips. Blinkingly, he could actually see the blue and purple aurora pulling from Ignis, and into him. He felt sick, and even sicker as Luna continued to staunch the ‘bleeding’. He could feel her power move through him as a pressure was placed around Ignis, making it so that his life force was almost capped. 

All at once he felt as Luna pressed the sick feeling from him and it dissipated into nothingness. As the dizziness faded and his vision cleared, he could see Ignis’s face, and much of the lost color had returned. 

_ “I may need to do this again before Cor’s return, but I did what I was able. Let us return to the throne room and I will try to summon Umbra. _ ”

"Okay. We'll take you back. I bet you're tired." Noctis approached and took Prompto and Luna by the elbow, leading them away. He waited until they had left the room before speaking again. "That was… it was sort of like what you did with starscourge…"

" _ A little. It's hard to explain. The starscourge is gone. That I can promise you." _

"So how do we fix it?" It was odd how Prompto's feet were moving on their own, and Luna's steps were far lighter and delicate than his own.

"I'm banking on the crystal." Noctis said with a sigh. "I don't have any other ideas." 

****

"So Cor and Umbra have found the crystal!" Prompto hopped excitedly onto the bed next to Ignis. 

Although Ignis had felt well enough to sit up, even he wasn't ready to start moving about and the news only elicited a small nod. "How far is it?" He asked, certain that they didn't have the manpower to physically move such a thing. It would be much easier to travel to the crystal than bring it back.

"Angelgard. It's back in the forested areas of the island. You're not up for a trip that far, Iggy." Gladio held a bowl of hot soup for the man. 

"Then what do you propose?" Blind eyes blinked away exhaustion, knowing they didn't have any airships powerful enough to transport something so large, not that hadn't long ago been cannibalized for parts. 

“I don’t know.” Prompto shifted uncomfortably in his spot. “But we can’t kill you in the process. Maybe Noctis has an idea? Apparently he’s been reading.” 

“Kill me?” That sounded ominous. Ignis sat up a bit straighter, putting out a hand when he accidentally bumped Gladio in the process. 

Before anyone had time to respond Noctis had eased his way into the room. It was easy enough to be quiet enough for Ignis not to notice, though it was impossible to hide the shine from his being, the one that still caused Ignis to turn his head away, almost spilling the soup for a second time. 

“I found another book. Deep in the ancient tomes in the back of the library… do we know if we can move the crystal yet?”

“Last we heard, Cor was having difficulties as, uh, the earth has kinda ‘claimed’ it, so to speak. Not only is it massive, but it seems entrenched into the earth itself. So, not exactly.” Gladio looked back to Ignis. 

Ignis sighed and let his head thump against the wooden headboard. “Letting me travel sounds like the only option… and if you won’t let me do that, then…” his eyelids fell, a frown starting to form as the tone of his voice lowered.

“Ignis. Hey. The book?” Noctis pointed before remembering the man couldn’t see him other than a bright light. “It’s uh… well, it’s pretty weird, so I was reading this one and the exact thing we need to do is like…okay so the crystal is the only thing that can neutralize its own power. The ring was part of that power, so essentially you’ve become the ring, right? Well the thing is we  _ have _ to have the ring and the chosen King in order to enter the crystal. That’s the only way it works. I’m inferring a lot but, we both go in there it happens just like it did before. The ring part of you will combine back into the crystal and stop tearing you apart.”

“So, you and Ignis need to go to the Crystal? But you can’t leave the Citadel.” Prompto scrunched his nose, shoulders slumping slightly. 

Noctis seemed to teeter on the thought for a moment. “Well, there’s one way. We got it to work once before. You know, that thing we did with you and Luna.”

“But we don’t know how long that’ll work, and if we can get you  _ that _ far from the Citadel.” Prompto let an exasperated sound come from his lips. “And what about Luna?”

“It’s probably safest we try with just one of us and see what happens.” Though the most likely negative outcome was just dissipating at the doors to the outside world, Noctis was more willing to risk himself than Luna. 

"I guess you wanna try with Ignis?" Prompto looked nervously between the two, knowing the decision was ultimately not his or Gladio's to make.

"Yeah but…" Noctis looked over at Ignis, his face falling as he did so. "There's a reason why, it's just that you've seen what happens when I even get close. I could kill him. And even worse, so could the crystal… so could curing him…"

"What are our other choices? Has Luna weighed in?" Gladio hadn't moved since Noctis entered the room.

Noctis nodded, having just come from the throne room. "Yeah. It looks like whatever route we choose there's only about a thirty percent chance. According to the books me walking him into the crystal has the best odds… assuming he can survive the journey and I can make it out of the Citadel."

"And Luna thinks it's worth the risk?" Gladio grabbed Ignis's hand, never breaking eye contact with the King.

"If he stays here his life force will eventually leak out of the wounds and he'll die anyway. Fade into ether the way Luna did." Noctis frowned. He had not seen it himself, but Luna had recounted it vividly enough. 

"So it comes down to what Ignis wants, then." Gladio let out a sigh, eyes drifting to the other man. 

"What do you mean it comes down to me? Does no one else have an opinion?" To Ignis the odds sounded bad, but he'd always figured that was the case. "My life isn't only mine…"

"I don't want you to die. But you've always been a fighter. So if you were gonna, you know, it's better than doing nothing?" Prompto shifted uncomfortably in his spot. 

"I agree with shorty. But I'll support you till the end. Ya know. I've got your back." And at moments like this, Gladio was glad Ignis couldn't see because he let some of the sadness leak through.

"I quite literally have nothing to lose, except my life. And well, I might lose that anyway." Ignis said, bluntly. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel so bad for everyone in this point of the story. It was a lot of fun, however, to write. Yes, Ignis is getting whumped pretty hard, but we make it better, promise. 
> 
> Thank you for all the love this story is getting, and we are loving all the kudos and comments it is getting. 
> 
> Even now, it might take us a little longer than normal to get back, but we do respond to all comments and cherish all kudos. Thank you for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end of Ignis's sickness comes to a front as they decided to try and hunt out where the Crystal went. Since the crystal is what keeps all life on Eos, the bros know that it is somewhere. First guess is Angelgard. 
> 
> With Ignis's life on the line, and possibly Noctis's too, will the boys be successful in their endeavors?

The trip to Galdin Quay was usually about a day's travel from Lucis. If one left early enough in the morning they would easily be able to make it to the beach around the time the sun set. Fortunately, during the ten years of darkness, the roads had only fallen into moderate disrepair as the daemons had little interest in manmade structures and they had been able to keep them in better shape than originally anticipated. It had been important considering the need to transfer goods and equipment to the main outposts of Lucis, and though short lived, Galdin Quay had qualified. 

While their supplies were gathered, a team was assembled and Cor was notified of their decision, the boys all sat in their room together. 

“Well, I think everything is just about ready for us to leave. First thing in the morning we are going to be heading out.” Gladio paused, eyes looking at the slightly translucent Noctis. “Do you sleep? I know this wake up call is gonna come early for your standards.”

There was a hollow chuckle as Noctis moved to Gladio and put a hand to his shoulder. It was nice to be able to touch, even if it was a far cry from the real thing. “No. I don’t. Usually I spend the nights with Luna in the throne room. We mostly just read or talk and look at the old photographs. I’ll let her know that I’ll be leaving early for a change. I do miss sleeping, though. Seems a strange thing to say, but it’s like having all the time in the world doesn’t really suit me.”

“If there is one thing you would miss, I bet it would be sleep. I'm sure you don’t miss vegetables, though.” Prompto laughed, not certain about how to lighten the mood. 

"I'll Just be glad when this is over. It's my fault, after all. I should be the one to fix it." Noctis stepped back, looking over the faces he'd known for so long. 

"Fixed or not, tomorrow we see how it ends." Ignis was understandably nervous, his hands bunching in the fabric covering his legs. He'd faced death before, but this time it was different. Coming face to face with it in the heat of a moment was one thing. Watching it creep slowly through his veins was altogether terrifying. 

"We will be here for you no matter what." Gladio knew he wouldn't be sleeping very well. None of them would be. How could they, after ten years of hell, lose someone who they cared so much about? It was a time of peace. No one was supposed to die.

Another reason they were hesitating going to bed for the night. Even Noctis wished he could stay. "I don't know what else to say…"

"Perhaps that we should get it over with." Ignis could feel his body shaking, and he hated it. It had been years since he felt this way. "All this sadness… all it can do is make it worse. If I don't make it I don't want this to be how you remember me."

"Never. If anything it'll be your food." Prompto moved under the covers and nestled into Ignis's side gently. 

"You'll be fine." Gladio moved in next to the other two. Although he was still worried about the whole ordeal, Ignis was always right. There would be no good gained from worry.

Ignis didn't respond as he habitually closed his eyes, hoping that his silence would help the others to sleep and that the pain and nausea would subside when his breathing slowed. Sometimes it worked. 

"I mean it you guys. Get some rest. It's gonna be a long day." And just in case, Noctis had some things he needed to say to Luna.

….

The morning came rough, and even before Noctis returned to their room, all three of them were awake, silently tossing and turning in wait. It was long before the dawn, and before most of the rest of the Citadel would be awake. 

They dressed silently and headed for the throne room without saying much. None of them were necessarily hungry, and no one even brought it up. 

Luna was sitting on the steps, her wedding dress flowing about the steps around her, making her look like a flower. She smiled gently upon their arrival, but did not move from her spot, simply waiting for them to approach her. 

“Noctis? Ignis? Are the two of you as prepared as you are able?” 

Ignis was unable to stand on his own for long, and as Luna addressed him he nodded, sitting down on the stone steps. He’d worn his visor to keep at least one sort of discomfort suppressed, though he could still see a shimmer now that Noctis and Luna had gained in power. “I’d appreciate getting on with it. My stamina is not holding as I would like.”

It was only Noctis that was apprehensive. “Luna. What do I do?”

Luna stood, and moved to Noctis’s side. “You are going to have to touch, make physical contact. As you and Prompto suggested, you are going to need to will yourself to take over control of Ignis, although it is not exactly that simple. It is a possession of sorts, and if it works, it will feel awkward, like putting on a very thick, tight suit. Be gentle, and just will it to be. I will be right here if anything goes wrong.”

"I'm just worried." Noctis sighed.

"The worst you could do is kill me." But it was the nonchalant way in which Ignis said it that was really unsettling.

“You will do fine. I will not let you kill him. If this does not work, we will need another idea, but as it is, this is the most plausible option. I promise you this will be fine." Luna placed a gentle kiss on Noct's cheek before moving over to Ignis. 

"I am here," Luna placed a hand gently on Ignis's shoulder. "I am going to act as a catalyst between you and Noctis. Are you ready?"

He wasn't, but he also couldn't push it back any longer. Noctis could already see the sweat on Ignis's brow, despite how hard he was trying to stay stoic and tough. Noctis closed the distance between them with quick steps. It was going to cause pain no matter what, best to handle it quickly like ripping off a bandaid. 

But really it was far worse than that. The touch caused Ignis's body to lurch forward and cry out. Wrapping around his core was like grasping an armful of hot coals and being unable to let go. For the first time in months, Noctis felt pain. It ripped through him, buried deep… and then quelled. As though cool water had been poured over him. He took a few deep breaths, wiped the sweat from his forehead and blinked until he could see again. 

Noctis glanced around at startled faces, then looked down to see his hands. Ignis's hands. Faintly he could still see the purple flames. 

" _ It worked?" _ Yes, Noctis felt heavy and like he was squeezed into a slightly tight space, but it was okay.

Luna let out a long sigh, a visible stress on her countenance. "You three must move quickly. If you dawdle too much it will be detrimental and put Ignis's life on the line. I wish I was able to come with you, for I could continue to staunch the wounds."

_ "Sorry Luna, we're already risking a lot. But if this works…"  _ Noctis wasn't sure what would happen if it worked. All of the resources they had found were purely theoretical from this point forward.  _ "But we have to hurry. I felt the pain he's going through… it's no wonder he doesn't have long." _

Luna nodded and pulled away, having done all she could. "Be safe."

"We will, Luna. We'll be back sooner than you know. Let's go guys." Gladio gently placed his hand behind the small of Ignis's back. 

"Yeah. We'll take the pink eyed wonder and get 'em all fixed up!" Prompto chimed.

_ "It's more… magenta than pink."  _ Noctis argued, though he was otherwise very cooperative. He removed the visor as he walked, finding that with working eyes it did more harm than good.  _ "You think he'll mind if I just leave these here?" _

"Why don’t you ask him? Ain’t you in his head?" Gladio kept the pace, moving them to the elevators, leaving Luna standing and staring at them go. 

_ “It’s strange.”  _ Noctis gripped at his chest--Ignis’s chest.  _ “It’s almost as though he’s curled up in here, just… sleeping peacefully. I don’t know how to explain it exactly. He’s really tired. I think this whole thing has taken a lot out of him.” _ Instead of leaving the visor behind he fumbled with it and tucked it away in Ignis’s shirt pocket, the way he’d seen him do many times in the past. 

"Is that a good thing?" Prompto was the first into the elevator as he rocked on his heels. "I mean cause it doesn't sound like a good thing."

_ "He's not dead. But I'm…"  _ Noctis looked down, frowning.  _ "I'm stronger than he is and I think it's suppressing him."  _ He felt bad the moment he said it, and looked away from his companions. 

"Well. Take good care of him. He needs a break." Prompto smiled at Noctis/Ignis and bridged the gap between them. "It'll be better soon."

Noctis immediately wrapped Prompto in a hug. Something he'd wanted to do for ages. It was nice, even if he had to use someone else's body to do it.  _ "Yeah, it will." _

"Hey don't leave me out!" Gladio laughed, wrapping his arms around the other boys. "I've got you both."

💜💜💜🎣🍴📸 👞💜💜💜

Two cars set out before the dawn. Noctis had been cautious, expecting the moment he stepped outside the boundaries of the citadel to disappear into nothingness. That single moment lasted a lifetime as everyone waited. 

"Did it work?" Of course Prompto was the first to break the silence as they shifted nervously. 

But a nod and blink of magenta eyes proved their worries were exaggerated, as Noctis moved Ignis's body down the steps and out to the waiting car. Even though it was now unnecessary, the cars were still running the extra bright daemon repelling high beams. Old habits were difficult to break. 

Even though work was being done to repair the roads and towns, the drive out of Insomnia towards Liede was slower than it should have been and the scenery was still a desolate dust bowl, lined with the husks of cars and skeletons of buildings. Trees and shrubs were stubby and young, dwarfed by the towering, barren monoliths of the dead trees and thickets before them. 

But to Noctis, it was still the most beautiful scenery he'd ever witnessed. There was clear evidence of nature peeking back up through the cracks and the sounds of animals hidden in the distance proved life had never truly disappeared in the ten years of darkness. It was rebirth in action.

"Hey Noct." Prompto nudged Ignis's body. "Look. It's the sun." They were nearly halfway there by the time dawn came and, while Prompto had taken pictures of the sunrise for the King, he knew that Noctis wanted to see the real thing. 

_ “Yeah… It’s really something else, huh? Can we park for a minute and just watch?” _ Even though he’d had to do it using someone else’s eyes, it felt like a miracle. Noctis fixated on the rising sun. really, he knew they shouldn’t, that they needed to get to Angelgard as quickly as possible, but it might be the last time he was ever able to see it.

“Yeah. But just for a moment.” Gladio nodded to the driver, and they pulled over to the side of the road. “And only because you haven’t seen it in a while.” 

And for a handful of moments, they did just that, watching the pinks and purples cascade over the horizon. But as quickly as they’d stopped they soon continued on. There was no complaint from Noctis, even as he settled back into his seat and the sky started to transform into clear, vibrant blues.

_ “Daylight… is just as nice.”  _ Noctis yawned, and after a few more minutes drifted to sleep.

“Even in the afterlife, Noctis still is a sleepy head.” Prompto chuckled, leaning his elbow against the door frame as the wind blew around them. The car they were in was a replica Regalia of sorts, not the same one that once belonged to the late King Regis, but it was modified by Cindy’s hands to be very similar. It was kinda odd and almost like it had been before the ten years of darkness when they would be out all night exploring and having fun… or sometimes running from daemons, finally to find a haven or a motel to sleep through the day. 

Another yawn and Ignis’s eyes blinked open, though they were considerably duller than before and the magenta hue completely vanished. The arm resting on the edge of the car pulled in and his head tipped back. “How far have we gone?”

“Oh, hey Iggs. Have a good nap?” Gladio grunted from the passenger seat. He shifted so that he could take a look at the blind man. “What happened to Noct?”

“Noct? Oh, right…” Ignis shook his head a little. “I’m not sure… “ He didn’t feel quite right, which pointed toward the other spirit still sharing his body. That and the pain had completely receded somehow, like the fire that had been running through his veins had been extinguished and now he couldn’t decide if he was too warm or if the wind on his skin was too cold. “I think he’s still here, it’s hard to explain. He’s expressed issues with the sun before so it’s likely that but… also… he has to be there, the pain is gone. I don’t understand how he could take over and make it all go away… that’s not a good sign.. Or is it?”

Prompto shrugged, sitting up straight and shifting his attention to Ignis. Car rides always did make him restless. “I think it’s okay, for now. We’ll be in Galdin Quay soon. It’s been a while.”

Ignis sat up, locating the visor in his pocket and affixing it back on his face. While Noctis may have not needed it, it still helped Ignis focus to have it on after so many years. He pushed his concerns down and put the stoic face back on. If the others weren’t concerned he would let it drop. “It’s been years…”

“We used to love Galdin Quay, I mean. It was where we met Ardyn and Dino, but you take those two out and, yanno, good memories.” Gladio sighed, finding his hand reaching for a book that wasn’t there. 

“I haven’t thought about Ardyn since Noct killed him. Geez. What a creep!” Prompto shuddered, looking back at the changing scenery. It was becoming littered with rock faces and mounds of hilly, sparsely vegetated earth.

“I remember the restaurant that used to be there.” Ignis smiled, lightly. “Outside of Altissia, it was the best seafood money could buy. I don’t think they’ve rebuilt, though. I heard they started repairs on the docks but... it won’t be the same, I’m sure. You’ll both have to describe it to me.” It wasn’t sadness that crossed Ignis’s features, but deep contemplation. “I think the last time we went out that far was right after the generator failure. The beaches were crawling with daemons. Or… Prompto, I don’t remember if you came down for that… I may have been with some of the hunters.”

“I-” Prompto shifted uncertainly. “I think-I was on a different mission, down to the rift. Talcott had that crazy idea that there might be hints of how or what was going on down there. We spent a couple of months down in the pits. It was surprisingly quiet but it was creepy as fuck. I don’t think Talcott could have taken much more of it, but we learned a lot.”

They had done a lot of that the last ten years. Splitting up and doing what had to be done, or anything they thought might end the darkness. “I did a lot of traveling like that, myself. I’m glad it’s over… or almost over.”

There was silence for a long while after that. It wasn’t until the smell of salt began to catch the air that anyone even seemed to stir. Prompto sat up, shooting towards the back of the Regalia like Noctis had done so many times in their travels before the darkness, a smile on his face. “Guys. I see the ocean. We’re close!”

Within twenty minutes they could see the shoreline, lined with rocks and short expanses of sand. It was still a mess. The buildings had been left in ruin, their old inhabitants long since moved away. Debris continually washed up on the shores, but there were now people collecting it, as well as constructing new ships and docks.

They pulled into a parking space and the Kingsglaive who were present started to unpack their supplies while the boys piled out of the car. 

"Not much longer now." Gladio's attention was focused completely on Angelgard, the massive stone wings reaching up, ominously. During the long night the scenery didn't change much, and that was somewhat refreshing. 

Pulled into the shore was an old familiar boat and an old familiar face. The bent figure of Cid stood, with Cindy's help, against the Royal Vessel. That would be how they got to Angelgard. 

With the boat fueled and their pleasantries said, the three boys boarded. Cindy was to be their pilot, since Cid couldn’t see so well in his old age, and they were off. Nerves were far too high for the silence, but it was difficult to talk over the roaring of the motor and the splashing of waves as they cut through the water. The old vessel was not in as good of condition as they once remembered, but it was fast enough. Those that could see did nothing more than watch the wings of Angelgard come nearer, the faded blue lifting to reveal a dark, rocky ruin. 

None of them, outside of Noctis, had ever seen this place up close. And even once they anchored, the ship shuddered and they were disembarking, the rocks and the structures were breathtaking. Plants and mosses were growing aggressively between the rocks and sand, but from the shore the ‘wings’ looked more like the claws of a giant beast waiting to bear down on them. 

Ignis was able to get off the ship without any aid and seemed to be... rather himself. Which even he knew was odd, given the circumstances. 

“Noctis still there?” Prompto peeled his eyes off the beautiful scenery, noting the other boat at the perfectly cared for dock. “Or do we wait for Cor?” 

“I’ll try to get Noctis back out here.” Ignis gave a nod, though part of him was concerned he would be pushed into the background once again if he did so. “Cor should be waiting at the site, if what Noctis told me is correct…”

“So?” Gladio started moving towards the looming structure. “We start on moving there? I don’t know where we’re going, not really, but the island can only be so big.”

_ “I've got it.” _ Ignis’s voice changed tenor and flattened out, though this time he didn’t lift or remove the visor. _ “Follow me. I’ve been there before. It’s just a matter of figuring out where the stone wanted to go. Cor said in the wooded area behind the ruins. Gladio, you can probably track from that?” _

Gladio nodded, gesturing to the others as they started their trek up the not so flat and rocky landscape. “If you are having trouble keeping pace, let me know.” But this was where Gladio excelled. 

As the sun started drawing higher into the sky they climbed up the rocky slopes, skirting around caverns and ruins before reaching the forested areas. It seemed to pop out of nowhere, a large swathe of trees and undergrowth that looked lost in time. Much like the Malmalam thicket had before the darkness had withered it all away. 

_ “Wow… it’s… did the darkness even reach here?”  _ Magenta eyes scanned the greenery with awe, stopping the group in their tracks. 

“This place is ... weird? I dunno. You came out of the crystal here? Right?” Prompto blinked, not having remembered what greenery looked like any more. 

“It appears not? There is something ... odd about this place.” Gladio quirked one eyebrow before he began pushing through the thick forest. 

_ “Not here. In the ruins. There’s a chamber… it’s hard to explain. The crystal wasn’t there when I came out. I just sort of… did.”  _ Noctis and Ignis followed directly behind Gladio, almost to his heels. It was harder to move through than it should be, and every step Noctis could feel himself growing a little heavier. 

“That sounds odd.” Gladio grunted, trying desperately to find the footsteps, but Cor and his men had been through here days ago and hadn’t even tried to trek back towards the dock. It was making it more difficult than it should have been. 

“Are we there yet?” Prompto whined, already over the beautiful scenery as he climbed over an exceptionally thick root.

_ “Almost. I’m starting to feel weird.”  _ Footsteps slowing, Noctis brought Ignis to a halt to breathe. Immediately his eyes flashed out, turning back to the dim green-gray they were before Noctis had taken over. 

“He’s right… It’s as though the air is heavier, here.” Ignis took a deep breath before pushing forward, something that was normally within his physical realm of ease. 

Gladio stopped immediately, turning to place a hand on the blind man’s shoulder. “Do you need help? It's not weakness if you need assistance. I don’t feel anything.” 

“I am exhausted!” Prompto whined, but even he couldn’t admit that he would feel tired, regardless. 

“I could use a hand.” Ignis hesitantly admitted. “I’m starting to feel like I’m carrying another human being around on my back. But let’s hurry. I’m not sure it’s going to get worse but any heavier and it might be hours before I make it. Doesn’t seem to matter which of us is doing the walking, it’s just the same…” 

Gladio waited, situating Ignis on his back before continuing on. Even with the added weight, Gladio was able to move through the forest as if unhampered, leaving Prompto to whine and complain even louder as he was  _ not  _ being carried. 

Soon, however, they broke through the thicket into a clearing. Cor Leonis stood abruptly, as did the other members of the Kingsglaive. 

There was an immediate motion toward the group, particularly for the fact that one of their number was currently being carried. Cor only calmed when Ignis was let down from the big man’s back and could stand, and walk, on his own. He motioned the Glaives away and took a deep breath to return his composure. “It’s right beyond the treeline, here. This was simply the best place to make camp and wait for you to arrive. Follow me.” 

Cor waved them forward, not expecting any particular sort of rush from the tired men. Maybe thirty paces from the clearing they came across a shallow flow of water, ten inches at its deepest point but several metres across. The river moved quickly, small fish seen clearly swimming against the flow. In the center of the was an island, barely raised up from the flowing water, and on that island was one of the largest trees any of them had ever seen. Its gnarled, twisted limbs towered above the treeline, fallen leaves all around it as large as dinner plates among a bed of mushrooms, purple flowers and bushy ferns. In the center of the tree was a hollow, in which the crystal sat, nestled amongst curling roots.

“Woooo.” Prompto blinked, grabbing at his camera as he took pictures of the scene in front of him “This is- wow.” 

“Noctis. You seeing this?” Gladio was also taken aback at the location, feeling lighter than he had the whole journey. It was unlike anything in all of Eos. 

_ “Yeah I see it…”  _ Suddenly he stopped and put a hand to his head. Ignis immediately snapped back, though the hand to his head remained. 

**_Finally. The missing piece has returned. For years we have been waiting to be complete._ **

“What…” Ignis shook his head as the voice receded. It was… somewhat familiar. His head ducked again as a volley of images bombarded his mind. He saw himself walking into the crystal, followed by a bright light. 

“Ignis?” Gladio turned on his heels, and grabbed at the man who seemed suddenly overcome. “You okay?” Auburn eyes looked from Ignis, to Cor and then Prompto who had let the camera fall back into its place as he moved worriedly towards Ignis, as well. 

“The crystal is talking to me.” His fingers pulled away from his forehead and he stood back up. “It wants me to enter it. Just like Noctis inferred. There’s nothing I can do but do as it wishes... “

There was silence for a moment as some of the other glaives chatted restlessly behind them. It was Gladio that finally spoke again. “You, uh, need help?” 

**_The ring. You have the rest of it. The trial is incomplete..._ **

Eyes flickered magenta again and Noctis removed the visor, folded it up and placed it in Gladio's hands.  _ "Damn that's disorienting. We'll be fine… I hope. All this talk of completion and missing pieces… not clear as day, yanno? But Ignis is right. Let's get it over with." _

"Everything will be okay." Gladio spoke, his hands steadying the other man. It was what he did.

Prompto hovered, having always known this was why they'd come but unsure how to help. His hands moved forward, almost touching Ignis/Noctis before balling at his side.

Ignis’s hand hesitated before pulling away from Gladio, and for a moment, as they turned away they flickered, and both Noctis and Ignis were visible, occupying the same space. Steadily they trudged the river, frightening away the tiny fish, though the water barely slowed their way.

As the crystal approached the two men sharing a body stopped and turned back around. Eyes were magenta this time and a sad smile pushed through.  _ "I'm sorry. For everything." _

Light pulsed from the crystal's depths. Tendrils of light emerged and wrapped around Ignis's body as his eyes closed and he sank backwards, disappearing in a blinding shroud. As soon as it had happened the light dimmed and the crystal went still. 

"So, now we wait?" Gladio looked to Cor, not knowing what the next step was. Cor always had the answer.

"If you wish." Cold eyes shifted toward Gladio. "Last time it took ten years. I'm going to take the men back to camp and wait there. If it's more than a few days we create a post and head home."

And that was exactly what they did. The small group moved back to camp, Gladio insisting he start a fire as they waited. It wasn't that it was cool or that it was close to nightfall. Instead, it was merely the nostalgia that came from camping out in the wilderness.

Several hours later, once darkness did start to fall, the Glaives had widened out the fire pit and found a generous stack of dried wood to keep the bonfire alive throughout the night. Dinner was the same dried fruits and meats that served as the Glaives’ trail rations, and soon after most of the company began to tuck in for the night. There didn't seem to be any dangerous wildlife from what they could tell, so the watch consisted of a single man at a time, walking back and forth from the crystal to keep the pathway easy to trek.

But they didn't have to wait long. At an odd hour of the night a pillar of light shot up from the approximate area of the crystal, traveling up countless feet in the air before splitting into two separate flares and racing across the night sky. Back towards Lucis. 

The amount of sleep that either Gladio or Prompto had gotten before the light was questionable. A state of near meditation at best. However, the moment the light shot out, both men were up, scrambling forward towards the crystal. 

Even before the men made it to the site there was another burst of light. Their pace quickened, throwing aside wily brush and splashing through the shallow river until they were wet to the knees. There, lying in the bed of leaves was not one, but two bodies. 

It was like a flashback to when Ignis used the ring the first time, time stopped as they made it to the other two. Prompto's hands nervously hovered over Ignis before he ran to Noctis's side, placing his hands on the very solid shoulders. "Noctis?"

Gladio was already at Ignis's side, firm hands confirming he was alive.

There was a heavy gasp as Noctis came to first, choking as though he'd swallowed a lung full of water. 

When Ignis finally moved it was much less violently, his hand slowly reaching up to touch his forehead while his eyes squeezed shut. Only moments after his first movement Ignis was able to sit up, though he motioned that he would need a moment before standing fully. 

"Is… that Noctis?" His head tipped down as his eyes blinked repeatedly, and even through the obvious discomfort his concern was forefront.

"It looks like it." Gladio placed his hand gently on the side of Ignis's face as the other gently rested on his back. "The scars on your face, Ignis."

Ignis reached up to touch his face again but stopped midway as he looked at his hand. Actually looked at his hand. "Well, that's unexpected." He turned toward Noctis, seeing him for the first time in ten years, still coughing like he didn't know how to breathe, supported by Prompto's arms. "We've all gotten old."

"Seriously the first words out of your mouth? You vain fucker." But Gladio laughed, pulling the other man to his chest as he hugged him. 

Once Noctis figured out how to breathe he was up on his feet. He kept one arm around Prompto, more so because he wanted to than needed to. He looked to the two men still seated on the ground and smiled. "Well I'm not much better, am I? A fish out of water. Then there's this whole weight thing." 

"It's a joke. You've all aged very gracefully." Ignis said with a chuckle. "And for the record, thirty is hardly old."

"Guess you'll have to get used to these old fuckers." With one final squeeze, Gladio released Ignis, stood, and wrapped his arms around Noctis. He stood fully lifting him clear off his feet. 

Tears streamed from amber eyes. "So good to have you back, Noct."

"Aww thanks, big guy. The party's back. Nothing's gonna tear us apart ever again." Noctis couldn't let go if he wanted to, especially not once Prompto had wrapped up behind him and Ignis closed the gap to the side. "You guys…"

"I'm never letting go." Prompto smirked but not before there was a sound from behind them as Cor Leonis cleared his throat. 

When Gladio released the bunch, he saw that Cor was standing in front of them, with the men they had brought with them. "As much as I hate to break up this little reunion, I think we should head back to Insomnia. We still have to investigate the light as well as decide…. What we're going to do now that the King has returned…" 

Noctis made a sound, though it wasn't so much about getting up and leaving but the rest of what Cor had said. "I'm the last of the line of Lucis. Shouldn't that mean the kingship is dead? Besides, you guys have worked so hard. Why don't I just drop the 'Lucis' from my name and figure out where I fit from there?"

Cor didn't seem to see the humor in any of it, though he did sigh and concede, a touch of softness momentarily pushing its way past his stern exterior. "I think it's best discussed at the citadel. The light-"

"It's Luna. Has to be. Once it was complete, the crystal released those who were partially trapped in the beyond." Noctis separated from his companions and stared up at the sky. It was full of stars. Even after the darkness had dramatically thinned out the population and industry came to a halt Insomnia still didn't have stars like that. "You're right, Marshal, let's go home…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was such a wonderful fiction to write, and I am so happy I got to write it with my X. I apologize for how tardy the last chapter has been coming, but I hope that those of you who have stuck around this long will forgive us. With the state of the world, it has been very difficult for either of us to find time to write, edit and post. 
> 
> Thank you everyone who has commented and left kudos. They are very much appreciated. 
> 
> There is one Chapter left (just a short little epilogue I will post here in a minute). Thank you and Walk tall my friends!


	6. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What were those lights that headed off to Insomnia? Is Luna okay? How will this story end?

Luna sat on the steps of the citadel, her long wedding dress still flowing down the steps of the throne room. It was almost in the same position they had found her in before leaving the Citadel. By the time everyone had returned from their trip, however, she was not alone. In fact, as the boys entered the throne room, Lady Lunafreya was deep in the midst of a conversation with, of all people in Eos, Ardyn. 

He, unlike Luna, was dressed in simple peasants attire and seemed entirely unlike himself. At least the self that they had known. Luna smiled, and that same smile was mirrored upon Ardyn’s face at everyone’s return. “Welcome home.” 

"Luna?" While the other three stayed still Noctis moved forward. He was wary of Ardyn, of course, but his need to make sure Luna was all right outweighed any potential danger the man posed. 

"The other presence was Ardyn?" Though posed as a question, Ignis cut the words free as though he'd been slighted by them.

“Yes. He has a very interesting story to tell, if any of you would like to hear it. Perhaps if you would lower your guard and let him explain?” The smile on Luna’s face never wavered, while Ardyn seemed to look ashamed, eyes cast downward towards his feet. 

Gladio shook his head, moving to the front of the group, standing next to Noctis as his Shield. “He has a lot of explaining to do, especially after everything he put us through. Especially Noct.”

"There's a lot we need to talk about. All of us…" Noctis let his eyes drift back to Luna as he came to kneel on the steps. "And we all have things to confess. It was easy to hide or run when we were like ghosts, but...the things we did in our lives, the best we can do is come clean."

"I am not unknowing to your decisions, Noctis. I am the Oracle, if not the last of my line as you are. When we made our agreement in death, we did so to save Eos. I have always thought kindly of you, and the gods made it known that a child from our Union would not be necessary. I shall, however, allow you to explain if you wish." Luna shifted so she was able to place her hand on his cheek. "My dear Noctis..."

"But if you wanted to that's fine. I'm going to do right by you no matter what that means. I made a vow. I've done so much wrong, I'm not messing this up, too. You mean too much to me." Noctis let out a long sigh, his lungs finally reacting the way they were supposed to. He looked back at the three men he knew better than anyone and smiled. They'd all be together, one way or another. He wasn't losing anyone after they'd all worked so hard and gone through so much. "Whether we all go in together… keep it separate or just stay friends. As long as I have all of you in my life, I'll be happy. Though you and I need to talk later." The finger was directed toward Ardyn. 

"Noctis." Luna smiled as she looked deep into the stormy blue eyes. "Many people in this world have done wrong, Ardyn here acknowledges he has acted abhorrently. You, sweet Noctis, are not among them."

Luna stood, grabbing Ardyn and Noctis's hands to finish descending the stairs. "Your entire life had been stolen from you at the age of five. You disappeared into meditation for ten long years. I am not offended by your three boyfriends, in fact, I find the lot of them charming. 

"My King." Luna grabbed his face gently and pulled into him. "I believe we all will be just fine."

"Alright." Noctis smiled, one arm wrapped around Luna. "But if there's ever anything more you want, or if you'd like a change all you gotta do is ask." He promised. "That goes for all you guys. For one, I vote we kill the whole King thing..."

“Noctis.” Lunafreya let a soft sigh fall from her lips, her hand falling from his face to grab Noctis’s hand once more. “I believe that as the last of both our lines,” Luna paused, glancing back at Ardyn, who had yet to move from his spot on the steps. “Well, almost the last of our lines, we should perhaps think this through. What do the people want? Before there was little singlehanded ruling, if my understanding is correct.” 

“There is time for that, Noct.” Prompto stepped forward, not at all feeling comfortable being the center of attention like the other two, knowing that behind him was Cor and many other Glaives. 

“It’s nice that that’s actually true.” Ignis pointed out, clear green eyes focused on the three before them for the first time in many years. “No reason we have to figure out everything all at once.”

“I think our first step must include informing the masses that we are not gone.” Luna brought her hand to her stomach, the spot where she had been stabbed back in Altissia by the man standing behind her. “Everything else can be taken in stride. We have all the time in Eos. We should take the second life we are given in stride. What do you say, Noctis?”

Noctis nodded, not wanting to think about things like death for a little while. “All right. One step at a time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that was all she wrote. I hope that was as enjoyable for you as it was for us. Thank you THANK YOU for reading this far!

**Author's Note:**

> So, the story ideas started off cute, what were things Noctis would do if he were a ghost. Vandalize, cats, and all the cute shenanigans. However, it got heavy quick when Ignis in his blindness can't take their word for it. Hopefully it is enjoyable. 
> 
> We responded to all comments and appreciate all kudos!


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